The Last Necromancy Lord
by thisisfaycountri
Summary: Harry Potter was hiding away from everyone. Even his best friends didn't know everything about him. After a trip to Gringotts and an odd run-in with the Malfoys, His life changes dramatically... but is this new life any better than the old one?
1. Chapter 1

Using the eraser I've stolen from my cousin, I meticulously erase a stray line on the project I'd started four days prior. The girls hair was a wild mess, much like it usually was. She had a shy smile, and was focused off paper with her eyes, body tilted towards whatever she was facing. In my minds eye, it's Ron, who had been laughing at something I'd said while we sat around the lake at the end of the year. It'd been a rough time, and I think they'd just been relieved that I could joke with them the way that I had.I finish up the portrait of Hermione before I tap the edge with my finger, infusing my magic into the picture. An instant later, the sketch of Hermione is smiling and laughing, waving at me through the page.

"Harry! Get down here!" Dudley's voice has me jerking in surprise, not used to hearing my name in this household. Ever since I'd gotten back from my sixth year of school, Dudley's been… almost nice to me. He'd even done my chores on one of my bad days.

My bad days that were getting progressively _worse_. I'd wake up and feel like my insides were aflame, like my bones were melting and my head was split open like an egg. I didn't have these days until I started going to Hogwarts, and within my first year I'd managed to have seven of them, an entire day where I'd feel like my entire body was disintegrating and I had to manage it, taking headache potions and pain relievers until I'd overdosed and Ron found me drowning in my own puke in the dorms. After that he'd monitored my potion intake like he was my personal healer on those days. I'd learned of several ways to avoid the effects along the way, But here, in the muggle world, I had them the most and didn't have access to any of those. I'd had one almost three times a week since I'd left after my year of hell at the school.

The year before I'd lost my godfather, and quit listening to Dumbledore in one night. When he came to me last summer and asked me to do something with him, he was shocked that I flat out refused. I told him if he wasn't going to be honest with me then I wasn't going to rely on him to give me information and I'd find it out on my own. Ron, and Hermione surprisingly, agreed with me. Which is why I was here, instead of at the Burrow, where I'd wanted to go. I refused to go to Dumbledore's funeral, and so Mrs. Weasley had banned me from her home. Bill had been furious and had moved the wedding to a location I should be told soon, throwing his mother into a tizzy.

"Here's the salt and the chalk you wanted. Are you sure it's okay?" he asks, handing over the sack from the department store I'd asked him to go to.

"It's fine, Dudley. I'm going out for awhile, will you cover for me if I'm not back before tomorrow?" I ask him carefully. If he said no I wouldn't be able to do this before next week and I couldn't wait that long. But thankfully he nods, and I go up to my room to get ready.

I pack what I want quickly, glancing around the room. I spot the pencil kit and eraser that I had taken from Dudleys waste basket when I was cleaning his room the other day, and decide to take it with me. I pick up the picture of Hermione I'd just finished, watching her wave and her brow furrow in concern as she'd seen me rushing around. I finally tap my finger and freeze the picture to what I had drawn, placing it in my tattered sketchbook.

It wasn't a sketch book really, but I'd made it in muggle school when I learned I had a passion for drawing. It had anything I'd ever drawn and deemed worthy of my time in it, or at least from age 11 on. The older ones Dudley had gotten ahold of and damaged beyond repair. I'd made it using an old trapper binder that Dudley had, some sketch paper that my teacher gave me, and a supervised use of binding glue in the library at the muggle school. When I'd gotten to Hogwarts, a side project of mine had been to use magic to not only attach the paper to the binding of the binder but also add a never-ending charm to it, so that I always had blank paper feeding from a special compartment in my trunk. I could attach and detach the paper easily, and I'd locked it using not only a spell but a muggle padlock as well. I kept the key around my neck, which I used to lock the book quickly before placing it in my bag. I leave the house and head to the left, hoping to pass through the suburbs quickly. By the time I make it to the abandoned home I use when I'm not at school, it's dark outside and my stomach is growling. It was a good four miles away from the Dursley's home, but I don't mind the walk. And after tonight, I won't have to worry about walking anywhere. I enter the home through the window in the backyard even though no one is around to see me. The entire street was abandoned, and the house I used was in the middle of the street. Some gas leak a few years ago blew up half the buildings and the other half had so much damage they just all packed and moved away. And most of them moved to Privet Drive, too, much to my aunts pleasure.

I move through the untouched kitchen, and to the living room which was half covered in the collapsed roof and whatever had been in the bedroom above it. I'd moved the king sized bed to an room in the basement that had been used for storage before I got rid of everything. I pass down a hallway and open the door leading to the stairs. As soon as I open the door, I could hear the whimpering. It didn't bother me any, I've heard worse, and I'm not surprised to find that the spells I'd had my last summoning cast was holding well in the basement. I strip down and once I'm naked I begin using the stand alone shower in the corner that I had found in an upper floor to clean off. I dry myself manually and then begin the tedious task of using chalk to draw my summoning circles on the floor.

I ignore everything as I chant under my breath, moving fluidly. I've done this part of the summoning a thousand times by now, I knew what I needed to do and could do it blindfolded. Once the circle was done I pour my salt evenly, again manually because I didn't bring my wand with me and I'm not yet legal. I make a cross like section in the middle of the salt circle with the salt, marking it with the runes necessary with the chalk when I'm done. Finally, I turn to the man that I had in the corner, bound and afraid. I'd sent my gatherer to find him yesterday, and going by the missing goats blood he was successful. I kick that pan away and retrieve a new one off the shelves.

"I know that you don't know what's going on, and that's fine." I murmur to the man as I pull down the ritual blade as well. The whimpers get louder, but he doesn't scream around the gag like I had assumed he would. He was almost 60, because I hadn't specified an age. Probably dying of some kind of disease, and that's fine. I maneuver him into the middle of the cross-section I'd made, and he finally starts struggling. As soon as I get him inbetween the runes though, he freezes, eyes glazing over.

"See? I made sure you wouldn't feel a thing." I tell him as I move to the side and take a deep breath.

"Call of the Necromancer, I ask for Blaztak. The task of the wielder, I demand a body rune. Blood of the dying, I spill for Blaztak." here I pause and swiftly cut across the man's throat, from ear to ear, deeply. He begins gurgling while he breathes but I ignore him, still moving in my slow circle.

"Hear the call, take the task, and have the blood. Blaztak, I demand your Summons!" I rattle off. It was an odd incantation for the beginning of a ritual, but I keep to the outline clearly given. Now, I can do my real part in the summons. I drop my arms and press two fingers of my left hand into my side where a rune was softly glowing. I draw the rune in the air with my right hand as I move the opposite direction I had been.

"With the blood of a death, I summon Blaztak. With the blood of _Anima Mea Umbra_ , I demand his presence. With my portal, I bring him here." I make a swift downwards motion and shadows begin spilling out of the line I had made. I step back, careful not to touch any of my lines, and grin. The shadows meant it worked, and soon I had a half corporeal being standing in front of me, looking expectant.

"Blaztak." I greet, bowing like I was supposed to.

"Necromancer A _nima Mea Umbra,_ hello. What can I do for you?"

"I would like to learn to shadow walk if you please."

"That will require a sacrifice, as you know." the being says, and I motion to the still dying man. He sees the blood that had splattered in the cross-section of the salt and looks pleased. An instant later he's on the man, devouring him. I wait patiently for him to finish, and when he does he's a solid form. A man of thirty, with silvery hair and cat-like red eyes.

"Very well. The rune will have to be on your feet, so sit." he conjures a chair and I sit obediently. He kneels and uses a long fingernail to carve into the bottom of my foot. I barely twitch, even if it hurts immensely. When he's finished he waves his hair out of his face and licks at each wound, healing it.

"Is there any other rune you would like to learn?" he asks as I stand somewhat unsteadily. I shift on my feet, but no discomfort comes through so I shake my head no.

"Then I suggest you close the summons. How long will I have my form?"

"The other fifth tier I summoned lasted two months before he faded, or so he reported through the last first tier I summoned," I tell him before I begin chanting, cleaning up the mess of salt so that he could walk away freely. Many people believed the salt was to capture the summoning, but really it was to keep whoever I was summoning still long enough to get what I wanted. After that, they were free to walk until the corporeal form disappeared.

"Two months? The things I could do in your realm…" he trails off and steps over a chalk line experimentally. When he doesn't shock or burn, he leaves me to clean up the mess. In terms of preparation and actual summoning, it didn't take that long. Clean up and the actual carving of the runes was what took the most time, it was nearly eight in the evening now. I fall onto the bed, exhausted, and fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day I decide to test the shadow walking ability. I dress in black and silver robes, and head for the darker part of the half finished basement. I step into the shadow, breathe out where i want to go in old demonic, and suddenly I'm stepping out of a shadow in an space between madam malkins and another shop. Surprised, I glance around. Had I blinked? That was way better than Apparition! I grin, and decide to head to the bank to see if they could take care of my mail ward problem. I walk up to a teller line, but before I can get into line there's a goblin clearing his throat to the left of me.

"Mr. Potter, if you'd follow me please." he asks, spinning and walking away. Surprised, I stumble after him and catch up as he starts down a long hallway I'd never seen before. We stop at a door on the left and he pushes his way in, sitting behind the desk.

"Mr. Potter, we've tried to get ahold of you several times. What exactly is it that is holding you back from contacting us? Are we not doing our job well enough for your taste?" the last part is drowning in sarcasm, but I ignore it.

"I've recently been made aware of a mail ward that was put on me. When the caster died, the ward locked down so that I recieved no mail instead of just the mail he'd screened for me. I meant no disrespect to you or the services you are providing, Master Goblin, but I was not aware you was trying to reach me." I say slowly and carefully. I had little to no knowledge of how to actually treat and respect Goblins, but I hoped I didn't fuck it up too badly.

"Mail wards you say? Would my guess be correct when I say you suspect Dumbledore to be the reason behind it?" he asks, moving his hand over a drawer in his desk as he speaks.

"Place your hand in the orb please." he demands before I can answer his question. I frown, but do as he asks. A spark hits my fingers, like I've just ran my hand over something metal and it zapped me, but I keep my hand in the orb as it slowly shifted from a clear opaque color to the color of an orange, and then a lemon before settling on a mix of both.

"So it would seem your assumption was correct. Interesting. We can remove the ward for a fee, Mr. Potter. As for the contact issue, I began sending you letters when you were 14 and suddenly emancipated yourself."

"I didn't do that!" I cry out, and he looks angry that I've inturupted him.

"All minors have to legally file for the emancipation, there's a mountain of papers for them to sign involved. You had to have known that you did so."

"I didn't ever sign anything! I wouldn't even sign the bank slips Dumbledore wanted to use from my vault, I didnt' sign any papers!" I defend myself. His eyes narrow at that.

"Well, someone got you emancipated then. The only other option is that you entered a contest that required legal age participants only and won."

"Well, fuck. That'd be the Triwizard tournament." I mutter. He turns thoughtful a moment before nodding.

"Yes, if someone were to enter a minor's name and the cup deems them worthy, the emancipation would be immediate. When you were 15 I tried again, to see if you'd like your parents wills unbound since you had no right to ask of it until you were Lord Potter for a year and one day. At 16 I attempted contact because of your godfathers will and I got a letter back from Albus Dumbledore stated that you wanted that sealed, too. Since he didn't specify a seal we only put a temporary one on, meaning it can be read at any time so long as the new lord or lady Black deems it, meaning you. That's on top, of course, the weekly statements made about your vaults and investments." he informs me.

"Why were the wills bound?" I ask the first question I can think of.

"Hmmm. one moment." he rasps his knuckles on a drawer to his right and pulls out a paper, skimming briefly.

"Lord Potters was sealed because you were not of age and living with muggle family. Lady Potters was sealed because she requested hers only be read after Lord Potters. Lord Blacks was sealed because of your grieving."

" I want a scheduled reading for all of them as soon as possible." I decide.

"Good. Now, as an adult in the eyes of the law, you can do magic in a place of residence though you can't do it in public until you turn 17. You were aware you was coming into an inheritance, yes?"

"Yes. William Weasley told me about the property I own once and got me a file on it when I asked for it. I didn't know I was already a lord though." I admit. He studies me carefully.

"That's not the kind of inheritance I meant, Lord Potter. You were tested at six months, and it was found that at 17 you will inherit the knowledge of the last blood mage of your family, as well as the last necromancer, who happens to be one in the same. You're the first in hundreds of thousands of years to take up these titles. The last one was Merlin himself. Most families have the children tested to see if they will inherit the family skill- the Prince family is notorious for passing on potions knowledge, every Malfoy in the past century has gotten their political knowledge from an ancestry deposit. At 17, these deposits of knowledge flood your system. Your father got the Potter knowledge, which was why he was such a good Dualist. Your mother and father were happy to hear you were inheriting knowledge from Merlin himself, but weary because both of these meant that your affilition was much more dark inclined than theirs. You should be made aware, that only a handful of people can use the most basics of Necromancy, and-"

"I'm a fifth tier summoner, I know." I inturupt him. He looks shocked at this information, and i'm not surprised. Even Ron didn't know that I had been practicing the 'forbidden art' to thwart my headaches. The art of summoning something and then banishing it always seemed to alleviate the pain I was in.

"Do you have your mark glamoured?" he asks carefully. I shrug, lifting my shirt and pulling my jeans down to expose where my hip met my thigh. Unless you were standing right in front of me while I was naked, there was no chance of seeing the seven circular marks, five with three comet like tails shooting off the edge to make a six point star and a middle, larger open circle.

"Yes, well, with your inheritance I have no doubt that you'll be a seventh tier Elder summoner in no time." he says after studying the mark carefully. A first tier summoner would do basics, summoning small woodland animals and the odd child. Second tiers were tested, summoning the lowest possible demon possible and given a blessing to continue if they do so successfully. The circles represent how far they could go. Four in history have had the seven circles, and only one other had an open seventh meaning they could be the elder summoner. Third tier was for summoning menial workers, or gatherers, demons who did tasks in exchange for animal blood or the odd animal sacrifice. Fourth tier was when you could summon guardian demons, and started summoning other creatures that weren't neccessary on this plain of exsitence anymore. To become a fifth tier you had to make a human sacrifice. Thankfully, most necromancers could find a person on their deathbed. After each tier is successfully completed, the circle would gain the lines that connect to the design. Eventually, it would be a summoning ruin of itself, once you got to your highest tier.

"Do you ever have any headaches?" he asks suddenly, looking at the orb on his desk instead of me. At my startled look, he seems to take that as a yes and a string of goblin leaves him as he makes a motion with his hand at the door. A moment later, another goblin walks in.

"Get Goldfang to my office, now." he snaps. The goblin scurries away and he sends me a look I can't inturpret before he's pulling out a ritual blade I vaguely recognize and a peice of paper.

"Slice your hand and place it on the paper. It will tell you what your true affiliation is." he tells me when I give him an odd look. I bristle at that. I knew I was at least grey, any necromancer couldn't be light or neutral. But what would happen if I was dark?

"Anything you find out in this office is confidential, Mr. Potter."

"You keep calling me or Lord Potter. Isn't the Black name of higher standing?" I ask as I slice the back of my hand and press it into the paper. He looks confused at my odd placement of the cut, but I hate slicing up my palms.

"It is, but you haven't claimed that title officially yet." he agrees while The paper begins filling rapidly, but in a language I didn't understand.

"Hmmm. that would explain it. Your body is rejecting the magic you're trying to force yourself to do. Are there any classes you have trouble in, Lord Potter?"

"Charms and Transfiguration," I admit.

"It's because those are mostly neutral in orgin, and you side on the very left side of dark. To be expected, with your inheritances coming in. someone blocked your natural affiliation and attempted to force you to be at least neutral. They would have killed you eventually." he says, glancing at the orb. I growl at that. Dumbledore for the fuck up of the century it seems.

"Why didn't it work?"

"You found a way to stabilize the darker part of your magic, meaning the necromancy, but we will have the block moved completely when healer Goldfang gets here."

"I never did get your name." I point out. He seems surprised, but nods.

"Yes, my name is Appetione. Or close to it in the english language, anway." introduces himself and I nod. When the healer arrives a quick conversation in goblin is followed by myself being led to a chamber I didn't know was down the hallway.

An hour later I'm walking out of the bank. The ritual to take the block off of me only took about ten minutes, but then I had to talk to Appetione about my vaults and taking the title Lord Black. Now, I had to go get robes for the Black family, and get stationary and an extra owl so that I could get ahold of the remaining family members of the black family, and any lesser vassals of the Potter and Black families for a meeting. My head was throbbing at this point just thinking about it.

"Well, look who we have here. Skulking around, hiding from your fans?" I hear a familiar voice ask.

"I'd ask the same of you, Malfoy, but you'd be reveling in it." I say back, grinning at him. He seems surprised at my reaction to his baiting.

"You're really hiding? Why?"

"Walk with me and find out, yeah?" I bait back, moving around him and heading for Madam Malkins. I don't hear him moving behind me for a few seconds and mentally shrug. He was a Slytherin, not a Gryffindor, he might not react to challenges. Before I could get too far away though, I hear him start to follow me.

"Madam Malkins?" I hear him mutter under his breath in confusion. I don't blame him, I avoid fancy clothing and he knows it, if only because he uses it as fuel in our petty rivalary. I greet her amicablly before telling her exactly what it was that I needed. I hear Malfoy sputtering behind me as she begins taking my measurements.

"Lord Black robes? Are you kidding? When did you gain that title?"

"Officially about fifteen minutes ago, but it was mine since Sirius died before the end of our fifth year. I also hold the Lord Potter title, but that's another story. Now, I wanted your advice. I know next to nothing about clothes, and you always dress impeccably."

"Was the a compliment?" he asks, obviously amused. I glance in the mirror to see him leaning against the wall, studying me as I get my measurements done.

"Very well, we can do that. But only if you go somewhere with me afterwards." He agrees finally. I roll my eyes at that. I knew of course, that he was going to ask for something in return so I wasn't that surprised that it was a give and take situation. He went somewhere with me and helped me out, he'd want the same thing from me.

"Only if that somewhere is in Diagon Alley." I challenge his ultimatum.

"That's fine." he say immediately, meaning he wasn't planning on leaving the alley to begin with. I nod and he moves, and began giving the shop worker orders. When he's finished he waves me off the stand I'd been on and I head for the counter.

"Where would you like the robes sent?"

"When will they be ready?"

"The 17th."

"Have them sent to this address on the 18th." I tell her, scribbling down the abandoned house that I use for my , I tell her that I want resizing charms put on everything he ordered. She looked confused, but does as I ask. I wait for her to tell me the total and I give Draco a dark scowl when I see that the sum was larger than I had expected. Still, I pull out my new Gringotts key and pay for the robes, then motion for him to lead me out of the shop. He immediately heads for the Leaky Cauldron and I tense. It was going to be packed this time of the day, and I lift my hood immedately when I see the enterance come into view.

"Calm down Potter. The place is going to be mostly empty." he mutters, yanking my hood down again. I growl in response but he ignores me and holds the door open for me to go through. When I enter, It really is empty besides Tom and four people at a table that I can't see because it's so dark in here.

"I'm sorry I'm late father, Uncle, I picked up a stray." Draco says smoothly, moving away from me and heading to the four people in the corner. I scowl at being called a stray, but follow him.

"You know better than to keep me waiting Draconis." Lucius' voice catches my attention and I grit my teeth, preparing to shadow walk away if I need to.

"True, but the new Lord Black requested my help and as the Malfoys fall under the vassal territoy for them, and with mothers maiden name bing Black, I thought it would be more prudent to help him, especially when he agreed so easily to follow me here afterwards." Draco explains, waving me closer. I step around cautiously and immediately see why they would need to rent out the entire bar. Sitting at the table was Lucius Malfoy, the Lestrange brothers, and someone in auror robes. The politican, two escaped convicts and a police officer walk into a bar. It sounds like the start of a bad joke and it makes me smirk.

"Mr. Potter." my name is said with surprise, and I notice that the mask has fallen away from the Malfoy lord for a moment. The two brothers Rodolphus and Rabastan were watching me intently, and the auror tenses up like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Why are you not at the funeral, Mr. Potter?" Lucius demands. Before I can answer four wands are pointed in my direction.

"Did you even check if this was really Potter, Draconis? Or did you just assume? Why would Potter be in Diagon the day of the headmasters funeral?" he demands of his son. I frown. The funeral was today? That would explain why I hadn't gotten Remus' daiy letter yet. He said the next time he wrote he would tell me how the funeral went.

"Stop pointing your stick at me and ask me a question that only I would know." I snap when the aurors wand twitches again.

"Father, really. I know this is Potter. And besides, he's claimed the Black title, he's Lord Black now." Draco reminds his father again.

"Ask him a question, just to be on the safe side." rodophulus grumbles, putting his wand away. Everyone else stays tense, but he collapses. I realize that he and his brother would be just like Sirius, constantly down, hungry, tired, and malnourished. His black hair was cut short and he had dull brown eyes, where his brothers hair was black and lanky, and had bright blue eyes. Both were large men, though they looked to be as skinny as I was. Rabastan seemed to be fairng better than his brother, only a slight tremor in his hands showing how much energy it took out of him to be standing with his arm out. His eyes weren't dead like his older brothers, either. He looked curious, and cautious, but not dull and void yet. Of course, with Bella as a wife, maybe he looked like that before hand as well.

"Fine… Potter, what's my wand core?" he asks.

"Draco! That's not the kind of question we meant."

"Why not? No one else in the order will know it, and none of his friends would remember it except maybe Granger and she wouldn't have followed me in here to begin with, she's too cautious. So, what's my wand made of?"

"10" Hawthorn Unicorn Hair." I rattle off. He looks smug, like he's proved his point, until I open my mouth again.

"The one you practice with in the room of requirements is 14", dogwood, veela hair."

"How the hell do you know that?" he demands, drawing his own Hawthorn wand.

"Because the castle is loyal to me. She reports everything she hears and sees and thinks I need to know."

"It's a castle, Potter!"

"It's a castle infused with thousands of years of young, raw magic. Anything is possible." I point out wearily watching his wand waving.

"What-"

"I've proven what you wanted to know. Why did you want me here?" I demand. I have other things I needed to be doing now.

"We were meeting our acquaintance here, I have no idea why Draco decided to invite you." Lucius says after a beat of silence.

"Well. then I'll be going." I spin to leave and head to the owl shop, but Draco asks me to stop.

"Just wait a moment, Lord Black. I wanted to have you look at this." Draco insists, and Rabastan immediately stiffens, glaring at his brothers nephew.

"Don't-"

"Just have him look. If nothing else he can point you in the right direction." Draco snaps at him, and I scowl.

"I'm no healer."

"No, but you had an escaped convict for an godfather for a few years. Tell me what this is." he motions for Rabastan to stand and he turns, revealing his side where not only all his ribs were in plane view, but he also had long gouge marks in his sides.

"Did you wake up with these?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Yes."

"There's always some kind of lice, bedbug, or other various bugs in the cells at Azkaban. In your sleep you revert to thinking you're in your cell and have phantom itches. Wearing gloves until you've settled back into the real world more would solve the problem."

"It's not a spell then?" Draco asks, obviously relieved.

"No, no auror put a spell on him. The body doesn't always immediately register safety, and if our brain doesn't either it takes awhile." I explain. Before He can ask anything more the door is thrown open.

"We're closed." Tom calls without looking up.

"A _nima Mea Umbra_ , a word." Blaztak asks, alarming me. Unless a demon wanted something they usually disappeared before the necromancer could blink. Why did he want me now?

"I'm done here." I tell him simply, following him out of the inn and to the streets. He corners me against a wall, startling me.

"What are you-"

"There's a man looking for you. I heard a few discussing it. Why would the dark lord want to kill his greatest ally?

"We are not allies!" I hiss immediately.

"You're the darkest soul I've had summon me. You're a decendent of Merlin and a seven tier necromancer lord, or will be in a years time. Do not lie to me! He should be begging at your feet to join forces with you, and instead he's plotting to kidnap and kill you!"

"I'm not going to join forces with that thing!"

"Our lord is not a thing! The dark arts, _your art,_ will die if he doesn't win this war! The light will hunt down and kill all the necromancers. What are you doing summoning fifth tiers, murdering innocents, if you're afraid of siding with the man that would let you continue practicing your art!"

"Enough! I will not have you speaking to me as such! I do have another five hours before my Banishment rights disappear, so hold your tongue!" I growl at him, shoving him away. I was furious, so I shadow walk away, back to the home that I had used for the ritual. I growl to myself as I set up a quick second teir summons with some goat blood I had left over. Soon enough, three golden colored orbs are floating in front of me.

"I need a sixth tier entry level summoning done. Gather my supplies." I tell them. They brush against my mind, finding what I need, and then in a blink, there's a man in his fifties bowing to me, along with a small house cat and a young girl no more than 14 in front of me.

"We will have your request by friday Necromancer." They say in union before leaving. I change back into my muggle clothes, and head back to my families home. My hours of walking turn into seconds as I step out of a shadow in the corner of my room, dumping my bag on the floor and heading downstairs, absolutely starving.


	3. Chapter 3

~Marvolo~

I wake up to my familiar urging me to go to the door, saying one of my coworkers was there and I was needed urgently. I grumble at her, finding my robe in the dark and tying it around me before I answer the door and I'm shocked to find Lucius and his son, along with the Lestrange brothers. I usher them into the sitting room area that I have set up before my actual bedroom and they all drop into seats.

"I told you to report about Savage tonight, Lucius. I haven't slept more than two hours, what makes you think you needed to wake me up?" I ask, taking a seat after starting the fire. A house elf pops in with some tea and cakes for the others, but I don't touch them, hoping that I'll be able to go to sleep after this meeting is over.

"I'm sorry, Marvolo. But Draco found something interesting out in the Alley today, and we were witness to it in the Leaky Cauldron." Lucius speaks up smoothly. I give the younger Malfoy a questioning look and he starts speaking slowly, obviously still afraid of me though he has immunity, so to speak, because his father was one of my closest friends.

"I ran into Potter on my way from the alley to the bar. I had stopped him to make a comment, as would be expected of me if I saw him in public, and he got… amused, with me. Then he asked me to follow him and I did so. I followed him to Madam Malkins where I learned that he had just claimed the Black lordship. I knew it was his, of course, but I didn't know that he was claiming it already. He asked my advice on clothes to wear befitting a lord, and I made a deal with him that he would go somewhere with me after I did so if he wanted me to. He agreed after he made the stipulation that we not leave the Alley. He wrote down the address he wanted to send the clothes to, and it's not the address Sev gave us earlier this month." here he pauses to pull a scrap piece of paper out of his pocket and set it on my coffee table.

" Afterwards he followed me to the bar and proved he was far more observant than most people thinks he is by describing my legal and not so legal wand in detail, right down to the cores. I came up with the excuse of Rabastan scratching himself in his sleep of him coming to the bar with me, though really I just wanted to see how reacted to my uncle and his brother. He didn't even flinch. And he gave us advice on how to deal with the scratching as well, not bothered at all that he was helping a convict. He didn't say anything about savage, who was already there, either. A man with silver hair stepped in and called him something I didn't catch and they left together. I followed them out. They had some sort of argument, and then he just… disappeared. No sound, no anything. He ducked into a shadow near him and just disappeared. The man started cursing again and took off as well." he describes everything he thinks is relevant, and I lean forward intently, surprised by the new information.

"Show me," I demand. He immediately lets his barriers down and the memories flash by. I'm shocked to see Potter dissolve into the shadows, and the eyes that the young Malfoy didn't catch that the silver-haired man has gives him away immediately. I was surprised he could even see the man to be honest. I withdraw and tap out a pattern on the arm of my chair as I think.

"Lucius, has there been any reports of dark magic in the school?" I demand, probably quite randomly to them.

"No, not anything that can't be explained away as the young recruits at any rate."

"Hmmm. interesting. Thank you, Draco. While you're here, Lucius, did you have any luck with Savage?" I ask, settling in to listen to the report. When they finish detailing what Savage would want to report on the Aurors, We sit in silence for a long moment before I finally address the hesitant Lestrange brother.

"I thought that you knew to speak your mind to me by now, Rabastan," I say, leveling my gaze at him. He still hesitates before speaking.

"It's about Potter."

"Go on."

"You said you wanted him to at least go neutral in the war? That you don't want him to die, that he's too powerful to waste like that, correct?" he asks instead of saying what he wants to. I growl in annoyance, but not once.

"I think you should make him an offer. He doesn't like the headmaster, obviously, if he's strolling down Diagon when it's mostly deserted because of the headmasters funeral. That means that he's most likely going to be against the light as well because they condoned whatever it is that the headmaster did that made him hate him so much. So, offer him a safe place. Don't force him to join you, but if you offered protection than you would be able to ensure not only his safety but his loyalty, even if he isn't fighting for you." he explains his thoughts and I give him an intent look. It was no secret among my elite that Rabastan's advice is almost never wrong. We chalk it up to his mother being a seer.

"I'll think about it. For now-" pounding on my door interrupts me and I scowl at it, waving impatiently at the young Malfoy to answer the person. He sticks his head out and snaps something before he pauses and there's a low murmuring. Then he's back, looking confused.

"Someone's here to speak with you in the throne room. They just appeared and demanded to speak to the Dark Lord, their words not mine," he explains. I stand, rushing to my rooms and conjuring my black wizarding robes to throw on, and casting an almost unconscious glamour anymore to appear more like the dark lord everyone was expecting. I strode back out five minutes later and everyone has donned masks and robes as well, letting me lead the way to the chamber.I stride in confidently but almost stumble when I see the silver-haired, cat-eyed man.

"My lord," he says, dipping onto a low bow. I settle on the throne but shoot a glance at Lucius who had his head turned to the man as well.

"How did you get into my manor?" I ask to start off.

"It's a demonic technique called shadow walking. We fade into the shadows and appear where we want, no matter what the wards are unless a necromancer has specifically spelled the shadows immune to a demon manipulation."

"You are a demon then?" I ask, confirming my thoughts from earlier. Where had Potter met a necromancer to let him converse with a demon of all things?

"Yes, my name is Blaztak. I'm a fifth tier summons. The third one my summoner has conjured." He admits, studying everyone in the room as we speak. Finally, he turns back to me.

"I came here with information because I refuse to let the boy be killed."

"What boy? I don't make a habit of killing children." I dismiss his words immediately, and he growls in response, making Draco tense at the sound.

"I heard the wolf! He has orders to kidnap and kill my summoner! The boy isn't even 16, his souls darker than even yours, and he's quickly on his way to being the guild leader, and you want to kill him because of a drunks false prophecy!" he roars at me. I'm startled at his temper, but don't show anything on the outside.

"Who is your summoner?" I ask after I think over his words.

"Necromancer _anima mea umbra_. Harry Potter."

"Potter's no summoner." I hear the smaller Malfoy mutter.

"Necromancer _Anima Mea Umbra_ is the highest ranking summoner currently alive, and he's not even gotten his inheritance yet. He gets his gift from Merlin himself and has an inheritance of blood magic as well. He had a block on his magic, it was slowly killing him. He had it taken off today, as well as a mail wards. He's being a stubborn child but he is a dark wizard, and he needs protection. Once everyone realizes that his core is the darkest one in history, they'll turn on him." The demon almost sounds like he's concerned for the child in question.

"Why do you care?"

"He is my summoner."

"This is beyond that. He released you, you can do whatever you want. Why help him?" I ask, cutting off Lucius' second question.

"It doesn't matter why!"

"Yes, it does. You want me to try and give the boy protection, you explain why you care." I demand.

"His first fifth tier summons was my sister, Teskan. She talked to him much longer than I did, he answered her questions more easily because she took the form of his mother. She's taken a liking to him, even blessed him. If he dies while I could have stopped it, she might kill me." he sounds frightened at the idea, and it would have been amusing in any other situation.

"There's something else." I press when he stops.

"There's a demonic prophecy about the necromancer lord. He doesn't know about it as far as we know, he learned about necromancy from an old necromancer journal that was hidden in the forbidden section of the library of his school or so my sister told me. He can already summon nonhumanoid demons, and guardians, he's going to be lethal the day after his birthday." he admits. That concerns me more than anything, especially with him telling me that the prophecy I used to be obsessed with was a lie. I knew that now, of course, but that just meant that this one was probably true. And his comment about a werewolf kidnapping and killing the boy concerns me, since I had sent wormtail to tell Fernir that the boy was off limits until I could see what would be happening.

"Do you know how to get ahold of your summoner?"

"All Summoned Demons have a tether to their summoner until they have to go back. Just because he dismissed me doesn't mean that he doesn't have a connection to me. He said he would give me two months, which is about how long my sister stuck around. He had another summoning between us, Raddik, who was the one who gave him his shield rune-like I gave him his shadow walking rune."

"Can anyone learn that?" I ask curiously. It would be something to get all of my followers, to get wherever they need to be, whenever, no matter what the wards were.

"Only if you have a fifth tier or above necromancer and a death sacrifice to summon me," he answers with a toothy grin. That makes me shudder. Potter had killed someone for, what, a shield of some kind and an ability to walk through shadows? How could he want to stay with the light if he was killing people for things like that?

"He's going to be summoning a sixth tier soon, I can feel his gatherers running the earth for his sacrifices," he admits into the silence as I think.

"What will that entail?"

"Depends on who he's summoning I suppose. All sixth tiers will always require blood, but who it will be depends on wether its animal or human. He has three gatherers out, and he has five permanently bound to him, so I'd say that he will need three goats, a child under the age of two, and a woman under the age of 30."

"He would kill a child?" Rodolphus demands, disgusted. Children are cherished in the wizarding world, bringing on the next generation. To kill one was sacrilege, which is why most of my followers knew instantly that I wasn't the one to try and kill Potter as a child.

"No, of course not. The boy is infuriatingly moral for as dark as he is. But Masphida, the only sixth tier demon that requires three different ingredients, was a child when murdered and as a wizard that deformed into a demon, even before Merlin and Morgana's time. She can't form her own body but possesses a child. She loves to be cuddled and coddled like a toddler or baby after she gives you what she wants, so it's like having a child of your own until the possession leaves. Then the baby is returned. His gatherers are thorough, they'll probably find a wizarding child in a foster or orphan home and will make sure they're taken care of. They brought me the most amazing gift…" his eyes almost glaze over and I don't ask what exactly is needed to summon him.

"Of course, he could be summoning Kesl, which means he'd need a horse, a virgin male, some kind of raw diamond and then if the caster is male, some form of sexual act. But, he gives the rune of weaponry so if he thinks he's going to war with you he might."

"Wait, like, mastery of all weapons?" Rabastan asks.

"Yes. like I said, it's been a long time since someones gotten as far as lord A _nima Mea Umbra_ has. Only one mortal has called on Kesl successfully. And even then he backed out at the sexual act, causing Kesl to be furious. If it's a female they have to have some kind of willing male present." He tries to explain, frowning more and more as he does so. Before I can ask though, he starts spewing in some kind of language I've never heard.

"I have to go, I have business to attend to. Goodbye." he turns and disappears before I can say anything. There's a long pause before I turn to the four men off to my side and sigh.

"It seems I need to get ahold of Potter."

The 18th comes quickly, and I'm waiting impatiently when I see the owl for Madam Malkins. I take the package and shoo the bird off, impatient. I take the package to my trunk, placing it inside. For now I was staying here, because my uncle had been furious that I was leaving at odd hours of the day and not coming back before night fall. I couldn't deal with it, not this close to my birthday, so I obliged and took my things and left. I could move into Potter or Black manor when I turned 17. I didn't have an adult to grant me entry, which was needed even if I was emancipated. So for now, I was stuck getting food from the Leaky Cauldron and living in the abandoned house I used for summoning.

In my basement I had all the things I would need to summon Kesl, and I already had my gatherers going to get what I would need for Masphida. I hoped that I would be able to take the rune with minimum pain, and grant his summoning payment. I knew he would need a sexual act, and I've had three others before that required it and two that didn't need it but I ended up with anyway. The only way a necromancer wouldn't have to preform the acts in the circle would be if they were not in the demons preference or they were magically bound to someone else. Since neither of those applied, I was ready for what I needed to do. I had the circle made up already, and the runes carved into the mans skin. He was in a stasis so that I wouldn't have to listen to him scream, and the diamond was already embedded in his abdomen. I strip down and shower, before drying down and slipping on a thin silk night robe. Kesl was an odd demon- the summoning ritual book I was granted after summoning Teskan stated that if I was nude, he'd find it offensive, but he found it rude to cover oneself if he was going to be taking gratification of them anyway. It had suggested a sheer or clinging cloth and bare minimum coverage.

"Blood of the man, I call on Kesl." I murmur, slicing the sleeping man from collar to the diamond I've lodged in his stomach.

" Death of the man, I summon Kesl. First choice Sixth Tier demon, I ask your presence." I add on the formal greeting for a new tier summoning and then press into the rune on my side as I move to open the portal.

"With the blood of a death, I summon Kesl. With the blood of _anima mea umbra_ , I demand his presence. With my portal, I bring him here." I make my swift line down, and for a fraction of a second nothing happens and I think I fucked up, something I've never done before. But then a slow, lazy grey smoke begins flowing out of the portal I had created for him. I breathe a sigh of relief and bow.

"Kesl."

"Necromancer _anima mea umbra,_ a pleasant visit. Is this lovely treat for me?" the voice is deep and seductive, and I nod instead of giving a verbal answer so that my voice doesn't shake. I watch him eat the soul of the man without comment, and inhale the diamond before he solidifies into a man with blood red hair and trademark cat shaped eyes that were a honeyed gold this time. He doesn't touch the horse blood yet, which would be the real trade-off.

"What is it you want?"

"I want your rune," I answer simply. He seems amused at this and studies me a long moment.

"Your body would not be able to handle it. But, if you agree to be my bedwarmer for the night, I will shift what needs to be done to give you the rune."

"And what would a bedwarmer entail?" I ask carefully. I didn't want to just agree to something.

"Just Sex. no blood, or at least intentionally. No gags, or restraints. Lots of begging, no penetration beyond the human body I'm currently in. I will let you leave when the sun comes back up but not before. You will be able to get up and eat and drink and whatever else you mortals need, but that is it." he rattles off.

Well, that didn't sound so bad. And after the year I had, maybe a day of mindless sex would be good for me.

"Alright, we have a deal. What are you going to do?" I ask. But before I could get the what out he was lunging at me, a hand going around my wrist before he sinks his teeth into my shoulder deeply. I'm too shocked to cry out, but then he's biting his hand and smearing his blood with mine, and suddenly my body is _boiling_. I think I scream, I'm not sure, as he chants above me. This was worse than any bad day I've had. The fire inside felt like it was devouring the very marrow of my bones as he continues chanting. I can't focus on what he's saying, what he's doing. He tears my robe off, laying me down in the still open circle, and pins me as he bites at my other shoulder, tearing another scream from me. From the hair on my head to the nails on my feet I'm burning, smoldering, and nothing is stopping it!

Eventually, the pain tapers off, and I can finally focus on him crouched next to me.

"What the fuck did you do?" I get out, but my voice is much hoarser than I thought it should be.

"Drink this," he says instead, holding out an conjured glass. I glare at it, and he growls.

"It's just water, drink!" he demands sharply. After another second of hesitation, I take it. It did just taste like water, and I feel better afterward. I wipe my face and realize that I'm drenched in sweat. I glance down and have to do a doubletake.

I was a scrawny kid, I'd be the first to admit that. I was short and skinny, to the point it was sick to look at. But whatever he had done, that was no longer the case. My limbs were much longer, my hands, chest, and shoulders were larger. My stomach was toned, as were the muscles in my legs and arms, and I couldn't see my ribs anymore.

"What did you _do_?" I ask, in awe now. He chuckles at my reaction.

"I gave you back what you had lost to your childhood. This is what you would have looked like if you hadn't been raised wherever you were raised. Now you're able to take my rune." he says, turning one hand into the claws I'm used to seeing on a demon. Before I can protest he's flipped m right hand face up and into my wrist carves a simple rune with three lines and four dots circled around each other. I grit my teeth and bear it, but when I don't gain any knowledge I growl, ready to banish him.

"Shush, remember that our deal isn't over yet. Let me drink, you close the circle," he demands, standing. I follow his lead shakily but eventually close the portal while he drains the horse blood. When I'm done I weave a bit, but stay standing. I turn and Kesl is on me, hands in my hair as he forces my head up and kisses me in the searing way I've come to associate with demons. I readily respond, but he immediately pulls away and moves me out of the room.

"You need food and then we can begin."

"Food?"

"You've burned about four mortal days worth of food in the span of five minutes. Food, water, and then we can head back to the bedroom," he informs me, leading me out of the room to the empty kitchen- not that he'd know that.


	4. Chapter 4

I groan as I roll over, onto my stomach. An arm is draped around my waist and it tightens as let out another pained sound. My entire body was sore, and my head was pounding from the information overload that I had received while sleeping.

"Here." is murmured into my ear, and something is pressed over my eyes that soothes away the pain in my head immediately. I make a relieved sound and Kesl laughs sleepily, moving to press an open-mouthed kiss on my shoulder.

"Morning," I say softly when the pain is completely gone. His hand moves from my eyes to my waist again, though I make no move to roll to my side or my back. Just because my head no longer hurt didn't mean that the rest of my body wasn't sore.

"It will take you a day or two to get used to the new body, and another week to sort your mind properly with the new information I've given you because you aren't that good at Occulmency. I suggest you fix that by the way," he recommends as his hand travels up my bare sides. I swat it away impatiently.

"You've had enough of me to last I think. I'll be lucky to be able to walk right today." I mutter, annoyed. He makes a huffing noise and then sits up, rolling over before he moves back, holding out a bottle of water that I take grudgingly as I move into a sitting position. He'd been forcing water on my constantly and it was getting annoying. When I finish half the bottle he stands completely and begins rummaging through the package that Madam Malkin had sent to me the previous day.

"I'll heal everything but the love bites," he says offhandedly as he begins laying out clothes. I'm now glad that I had the self-tailored spell put on them, though at the time I had them on because I knew they would last me awhile and I had hoped that I would grow a little more. I'd easily added seven inches to my height, which was impressive. My hair had grown as well, and my muscles had healed and given me the body I would have had if I was eating properly and playing Quidditch the way I had been. I wasn't all the surprised that I still needed glasses though. I planned on getting new ones as soon as I knew were to do so.

"Put these on, you have a meeting today," Kesl says as he turns to me still sitting up in bed.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, did I not tell you? You received an owl. I replied that you were indisposed yesterday but that you'd be at the Leaky Cauldron at noon today. Here." he'd been looking around the nightstand as he was talking and now handed me a heavy parchment that had a spiraling script across it.

 _Harry Potter-Black,_

 _You've made several of my associates very curious as of late. I had tentative plans to contact you at some point about your place in this war, and how beneficial it would be for you to go at least neutral._

 _Your… child has made it known to me that you are not as light oriented as you seem, and I would like to discuss the possibility of me giving you protection in this war, with the promise in return that you would stay out of it completely. We can meet on your time, at your place of choosing, in a mediated area. I will have wardsmith Weasley make a peace treaty ward at your place of choosing beforehand, and you can speak to him about what that entails. I will be bringing Lord Malfoy, the recovering brothers, and Lord Snape, you are free to choose three mediators as well._

 _I'd ask that you write urgently, as I'd like to get your protection set up as soon as possible, regardless. A man with your… knowledge is invaluable, no matter which side of the war he sides on._

 _Tom Marvolo Riddle_

"You agreed to this!?" I growl, going to move out of the bed. I hiss immediately. I'd forgotten momentarily that I was injured and my body reminded me, quickly.

"Yes, I did. Hold still," he mutters a chant in old demonic that I recognize as a healing chant and a warmth washes over me, making my muscles relax and I sag back onto the bed.

"Presenting yourself like that is not helping me keep my hands to myself any," he says offhandedly. I peak an eye open to look at him and for the first time since I've summoned him, he's dressed. He had on black pants, combat boots, a long-sleeved black shirt and he had a black leather jacket in his hand. It countered his bright blood colored hair surprisingly well.

"What, are you expecting to go with me?" I sneer, not moving from my position.

"Yes, actually. Along with Blaztak and another demon of your choosing. You should summon them quickly, it's already 11. Unless, of course, you'd rather summon two guardian demons."

"I'm not taking you anywhere!"

"I agreed to go because I wanted to meet him. I'm going whether you like it or not, so get used to it," he states back, leaning on the edge of the bed and giving me a pointed look. I glare but move to get dressed finally. He'd chosen a pair of black dress pants and matching shoes, and a dark green button up silk shirt. It was odd to get dressed and have it resized as I pulled it on, but once I was dressed it fit snugly. He hands me a tie he pulls from thin air to pull my hair back and I decide on a bun rather than the expected low ponytail.

"Do you have anything to summon another demon?"

"Something like that," I mutter, straightening my clothes I don't wait for him, just shadow walk to the alley.

I stroll down the street, heading for the one place I haven't been yet. But before I get to the eyesore, I spot an ophthalmologist that I've never seen and duck in. the healer is understandably surprised to see me, but quickly gets my prescription- which, sadly, was several degrees worse than the glasses that I had on at the moment- he gives me a pair of plain, temporary glasses while he makes the frames I decided on. I decide on a larger square frame in a dark brown color, which should be done around 1. I told him if I wasn't there to pick them up, have someone drop them off with Tom at the Leaky Cauldron. The pair I had on would appear back to him once the ones I ordered are in my possession, which was convenient. I finally duck into the bustling shop and glance around for red hair.

"Fred! Georgie!" I call out when I see them both standing beside the register. They look up and simutaniously launch themselves over the counter. It wasn't too busy yet, so I was hoping they would be able to go with me.

"Is that you Harry? You shot up-"

"-and filled out this summer! That shirt looks good on you." they exchange, each giving me a hug before waving me into their back room. I sit down and hesitantly begin explaining what I wanted from them. Thankfully, they agreed pretty quickly and I was relieved to have them following me to the bar at 11:57. Kesl appears, scowling, but doesn't say anything. The twins, again thankfully, don't question his presence, though when Bill appears at the table we've taken they look surprised.

"Bill! What are you doing here?" George asks for them.

"I was hired to set up the peace treaty wards. There's a room above, I've got it all set up. Do you know what that means, Harry?" he asks. He knew that I was smarter than I let on but not how much.

"I know what a peece treaty ward will do but thank you, Bill. I'm glad it was someone that I trust to do so." I tell him, and he claps me on the back once before saying something to his brothers I can't hear and leave. I finish the butterbeer that I had, despite the others obviously wanting to get a move on, before standing and leaving my pay on the table. I lead everyone up the stairs after asking Tom where the meeting room was. I push the door open and the hushed conversation I barely caught stops as all heads swivel my way. I recognize everyone I had met the other day, so I'm surprised that the man sitting in front of me that I didn't recognize is normal looking. He looked the early thirties, with dark wavy hair that was tied at the base of his neck like Lucius'. His eyes looked almost black, though not as dark as Snapes. He was taller than Snape as well and skinnier than I had expected.

"Who are you?" Lucius demands, wands being drawn before I can react. I'm startled at that until Kesl lets out an amused snort.

"Ah, yes, you did your voodoo magic. Kesl believed that to take his gift I would need to be my proper self. He got rid of the malnutrition and stunted growth I had from my muggle family. Now, you said in your letter you spoke to Balztak?" I ask as I take a seat across from the stranger. He looks even more surprised that I was so at ease with three wands around me.

"You don't look like Potter!" Snape sneers at me. I sigh, pulling my glasses off so he could see my eyes clearly.

"I'm Harry James Potter. I looked like my father before but now I don't. I have my mother's eyes. We're in the peacetreaty wards. Do you really think that I would have been able to waltz in if I wasn't? And put your wands away. What are you going to do, stun me? That's violating the peace treaty and you'd be harmed." snap as Rodophlus' wand twitches. I snap my glasses back on and Kesl kicked his chair out before taking a seat, the twins sitting either side of me.

"This is Kesl, this is Fred and George Weasley. How would you like me to address you?" I ask bluntly when it seems no one is talking. The man that I didn't recognize startles a little, before clearing his throat.

"I go by Marvolo Septephrus right now. I'm a cousin of the Prince family and hold the seat since the lord of the family is also lord Snape. He says, making a motion towards Snape.

"Marvolo then. You spoke to Blaztak?" I ask again. I see Fred and George share a look but I ignore it, moving to cross my arms.

"I have. I have to ask… is your mark anywhere we could see?"

No, it isn't. If you need confirmation that he's a Necromancer, I can give it, seeing as I'm the one who gave him the mark of his sixth tier." Kesl cuts in before I can answer. Fred makes a sputtering sound and I glare at Kesl.

"I can answer for myself. And I still have banishing rights for the next few hours yet." I remind him. He glances my way but doesn't comment.

"Necromancer, Harry? What are they talking about?" George asks, leaning closer to me.

"I'll explain later." I decide before I focus on the others on the other side of the room again.

"He's seen your mark then?" Marvolo asks curiously. I nod at him hesitantly.

"I perform most rituals naked. It's right on my hipbone line where it meets my inner thigh, so I can't show it off without flashing anyone standing in front of me, not that I'm complaining. I've kept the practicing of the art to myself for nearly five years now." I explain when I get confused looks.

"THere aren't robes for that kind of thing?" Lucius speaks up before Marvolo can ask his next question.

"There are, but do you really see the boy who lived buying necromancer robes in broad daylight?" I ask, annoyed. He glances at Marvolo but I can't read the look.

"Alright. I asked to meet you to see if you would at least go neutral in all of this. I understand that you don't trust me, of course, but seeing as how I was told your magic and soul was darker than mine was… I want to give you the option at least to join us, or stay neutral, or join us and stay out of the fight. I don't want to be fighting you, especially if you're a necromancer."

"And most definitely once he summons Masphida. She grants the summoner with the runes needed to do quick, fourth tier and under summons. Which means he can have several guardian demons within his reach in under thirty seconds." Kesl cuts in again. I think briefly on setting a muzzle ritual on him, but decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

"Kesl, if you don't shut up, I'll make sure you're locked in a room with no way out for the next two months." I tell him as evenly as possible. He gets this pouting look, completely out of character, but stays quiet as I think. Finally, I tilt my head towards the twin on my right, Fred.

"Would I be able to protect those that are mine?"

"I'll have you sign a peace treaty that you can name a select number on. We can discuss more of what you need to feel safe." he says diplomatically. The twin looks surprised I was thinking of them when asking the question, but besides Ron and Hermione, I didn't have very many other people I would want to protect. I've known for awhile that the light was most likely lying to me about all that the other side was doing and what they wanted, but I also hadn't heard exactly what they were doing either.

So for the next few hours I listen to what they were truly about, including moving all muggleborns into the families that they came out of. Apparently, they were just decendents that come from squibs cast out of the family. That's why in the last forty years or so muggleborns had decreased- because the purebloods have stopped kicking squibs out and keeping them in the wizarding world. They want to integrate them early, and they wanted them to start school early and go later so that they could learn more and gain better scores. They wanted to open orphanages and just generally protect the children. I can't blame them, either. And when it came to magic, the easiest way to explain it would be, they want equality. They want to be able to practice what they want to, just like light and neutral oriented people are. With both my inheritances coming in being in the darkest possible spectrum, I only thought that was fair. In fact, we agreed on almost everything, including most of the peace treaty rules and the give and takes, except for one.

"I'm not doing it," I state flatly. Lucius, in a show of non-Malfoy behavior, was rubbing his temples. Snape lookedl like I'd rocked his world still after I'd calmly listened to them detailing what they do and what they wanted and had agreed to it before going on to start the treaty. The Lestrange brothers were looking more amused than anything, especially after a few hours and I'd ordered a small meal for everyone. I'd then demanded that everyone eat, even them, though they protested that their stomachs were too small. I'd told them to shut up and eat and since then every time they glanced at me there was a smirk or an eye twitch.

"It'll offer you the greatest protection. You've said you'd join our side, and even fight. If you want to be protected from the light at all times, someone will have to live with you, eat with you, sleep in the same room as you. Marriage will make that easy, and legal. Marriage to one of my elite, or their children, is the logical point."

"I will not marry for my safety only! I'll stay at the manor of one of your elite, I'll train with them and fight with them, but I will not marry just because _you think it's best_. You're not MY master, and I'm not giving you that inch so you can sprint a mile. Giving someone that control over me, whoever side I am on, isn't something I'm going to do." I say without a pause.

"It's for your _protection_ -"

"I don't care what it's for. It's not happening, it's not going to be a clause in the peace treaty, I refuse to do so. Non-negotiable means non-negotiable. End of story." I snap, finally getting upset. We'd been arguing it for thirty minutes already. He glares at me and I stand to begin pacing around the room. Fred and George had settled over on the other side of the room, discussing what exactly they wanted the 'protected Allies' section of the treaty to say. I told them since it was made for most of their family anyway, they could work out the wording.

"Would you accept moving into Septepherus manor?" Marvolo's voice asks me suddenly. I pause behind Kesl, who looked to be dozing off in his chair and think.

"I would be able to do that. Yes. who all will also be there?"

"Rabastan, Roduphulus, Severus during the summer, the Malfoy family visits quite often, Bella, and myself, obviously. Peter stays when he's not playing slave for someone else, and Fenrir comes and goes." He says, and I'm growling before I can control myself.

"Something wrong with that?" He asks, an amused look on his face.

"Wormtail is the last non-negotiable. I want him dead."

The startled looks weren't surprising, though I think that I was close to breaking Snape with all this information. At Marvolo's nod, I sit back down, stretching out my arms over my head as I do so. I was still kind of hurting like Kesl didn't heal me completely, which wouldn't surprise me in the least.

"I'm leaving."

Like he knew I'd been thinking of him, Kesl had spoken up, his feet dropping as he stood and moved behind me. He waits for me to crane my neck to look at him before he begins speaking again.

"I have business in America, but I might visit again before this body wears out completely. I wouldn't mind having you in my bed again Little Lover."

"Not happening, Kesl. Goodbye." I tell him firmly. Rule one of Necromancy is to give them what they want for what you want, but there is absolutely no way you should do something for them without knowing the consequences. And I was pouting about the little lover comment, too. I had grown with whatever he had done to me, but I was still only 5'7. Most of the people that I was surrounded by were well over 5'10, and even Hermione would be eye level with me and still growing.

"You really slept with him?" Marvolo doesn't seem surprised so much as he is amused at the question.

"He's not the first one I've slept with. If they ask of it, you can only tell them no if you're bonded, arranged to be bonded, or decide to refuse their knowledge." I admit.

"Wait, when did you first sleep with something you summoned?" Fred asks, appearing to my right. I roll my eyes at his sudden attention to the conversation.

"They aren't things, Fred. they're people, dead people with the moral compass of a psychopath, but a person. And I was thirteen when I summoned a third tier that wanted sexual favors. I didn't actually sleep with a demon until I was 15." I admit to him after thinking it over for a moment, to make sure that the information wouldn't be used against me with the other people in the room.

"When were you summoning these… demons?" Snape asks, obviously confused.

"At school, in Salazars Chamber. No magic is detected in there, and it's got a preset rune circle so all I have to do is chalk it and salt it." I admit.

"Salazar was a necromancer?" Lucius blurts, and Marvolo rolls his eyes.

"No, but I'm sure it was for educational purposes, and necromancers were more common back then so I'm sure it was for those that ended up in the Slytherin house at this time." he cuts in. I nod at that response and it's silent beside Lucius scribbling out the treaty now that we've narrowed down what we want. George hands over the parts they worked on, and it's another silent 30 minutes before Lucius signs off on the bottom with a flourish.

"I signed as a witness, but four more, the two parties, and a goblin is needed to make it legal." He says. I nod and turn to my empty left-hand side.

"Dobby."

With a pop the little excitable elf is there, though he calms when he sees I'm not alone immediately and waits patiently.

"Mr. Harry sir, what is it you need?" he asks, and I grin at his wording.

"You've been working on your English, I'm glad. You've done very well. Now, would you mind telling Appetione that he's needed for a brief period of time in the leaky cauldron? Tell him it's a matter for Lord Black, and that it has to do with the inheritance I already have knowledge with."

"Yes Mr. Harry sir, right away," he says excitedly again before disappearing.

"Once this is signed I will need to go to the house I'm staying at and pack my things. There will need to be an adult going with me if you want it to be done before the night is over." I decide to voice as I read over the contract. Marvolo had already signed it, obviously trusting his own man to write it to his advantage, but while I had given on some things, so had he.

"I will go," Rabastan speaks up before Marvolo can and all surprised eyes swing his way.

"I will as well," Snape says, eyeing me carefully. I shrug, though I wasn't sure if I could take someone along with me when I shadow walk. I don't see why I couldn't. Before I could say anything else, Appetione is there and I greet him properly, getting surprised looks. Really, it wasn't that hard to do.

"What exactly are you doing in a room full of fully trained wizards that are all in the control of the man who wants you dead, or the man himself?" the goblin demands in way of answering.

"Peace treaty wards. I need you to read this over and sign it as the official Goblin." I tell him, handing the contract over. He glances down but doesn't read it before he makes it clear he wanted a fee. I wave away his worries.

"Take whatever you think is necessary from my school vault. Time is money and all that." I mutter the last part but he grins ferally at me and it honestly scares me a little as he focuses on the paper. He reads carefully, but even then it took only a half hour before he's flourishing his own quill. After that, I sign, along with the twins and the other witnesses, and then Appetione sends a copy to my vault and Marvolos before letting Lucius keep the original. I bid Appetione a good night and turn to the uncertain looking twins.

"Visit, yeah? Or at least write now that my mail wards are gone." I decide to say after a moment.

"You're coming back, soon, to explain right?" Fred asks carefully. I nod at that, something that I could easily do.

"I'll be back within the week. I promise. Be ready to settle in for a nice long chat that even Ron and Hermione haven't had." I admit. They exchange a look before they each throw an arm over me.

"I wouldn't tell Ron and Hermione anything if I was you. The few times that we go to the house-"

"Ron and Hermione have been bad mouthing you as much as mom has. It pisses Bill, Fleur, Gin, and Charlie off, but they wont shut up about how corrupt you are."

"But- they're the ones who told me they'd support me! And it's not like dumbasadoor is here giving them loyalty potions. What's going on?" I demand, moving away from them.

"As far as we can tell, there's no potions or spells involved. We've checked. They're just-"

"them. Change of the mind I suppose. Either way, I wouldn't trust them with anything until you've talked it out."

I frown but nod that away to think about later. I didn't want to think ill of my friends, but I also know that the twins wouldn't lie to me about something like this.

"Well. let's get going Mr. Black, so that we may get to the manor sometime today."

Ah, and Severus is back to is old, snarky self. Good to know some things never change. I stand fully and stretch. My new body was bulkier and taller than I was used to, but it felt good to have proper use of all my muscles unlike before. I used to ache almost constantly but now besides the feeling I've had since Kesl healed me, I couldn't find a complaint. I motion for both men to come towards me.

"Let's go then. Hold on to my arms like you would apparition, yeah?" I ask. When neither move to comply I roll my eyes, and step back towards the shadow behind me. In an instant, I'm now behind them, silent, and besides confusion, they make no inclination to be moving to look behind them. So when I suddenly have Rabastan, the taller of the two, in a choke hold, there's several startled sounds around the room before I let go and help him steady himself. When he's straightened again, I sling an arm through his.

"My way is faster, more silent, and doesn't feel like I'm being choked by my uncle. So, let's go." I grab onto Snape before he can sputter a protest and yank them back into the shadow with me. It didn't have to be a dark shadow, or even a large one. The shadow someone makes on a sidewalk could be used. It was nice to know that my options were endless for escaping. I waltz into the basement bedroom I had made, leaving them in the ritual room of sorts that I had to pat themselves down and count all their fingers and toes like I'd be able to leave them anywhere.

"Would you safely deposit any of my ritual items in the trunk in that room?" I call as I begin packing my disregarded clothes from the few nights I'd stayed here. Most of them were still packed thankfully.

"Won't magic interact with the embedded magic?" Rabastan's voice at my door makes me look up and I shake my head no.

"I don't have any magic embedded. I just use my own each time. It's easier and it doesn't set the summoned off as much as embedded magic does. Each summons leaves a bit of magic in the items used. And while you can cleanse them, they still attach something to the magic in the items. This way, they can be cleaned completely." I rattle off the information I'd read up on in the Chamber before I'd actually started using any kind of necromancy.

"Do you need help in here?" He asks even as I hear Snape moving around in the other room.

"No, I'm almost done. I just need to get my books." I motion to the pile of books and reach for the top one before they're flying into the open trunk door I have in the room. I whirl to glare at the tall man, and he just grins, casting another charm on the trunk and then pocketing the now shrunk item. I follow him to the room to see the last of my things flying into my extra trunk. What would have taken me hours took less than ten minutes with magic.

"That's it. Ready?" I ask, holding out my arms again.

"And how would you know where to go?" Snape snaps at me.

"I don't have to know exactly where I'm going like with apparition. I can just think, oh, I need to be next to Ron, and my body will find the nearest shadow next to him. I've experimented slightly, and I can even be as specific as 'I need to be five feet behind and three to the left of the leaky cauldrons door' and as vague as 'I want to be near the lady I saw today with yellow dress and red hair'. It was pretty easy, actually. I think that the manipulation is demonic, but it's so basic that since I have the runes I can master it easily." I shrug at their shocked looks, grab them both and yank them foreward into the shadow of the stairs. I step out in some kind of foyer, startling a house elf so badly that they topple over. They popped away and the two men with me scowl at me in union.

"Stop dragging me around like that! Do you have any idea how disgusting that feels?" Snape demands, taking a step forward. I do as well, scowling at him. I wasn't going to let him keep bullying me.

"I wouldn't know, seeing as how it feels like I'm passing through a quick mist and then I'm where I need to be. I'm sorry that you don't like it but I refuse to be apparated anywhere and if you think I'm going to let _you_ , of all people, manhandle me you have another thing coming. You may have made a vow to protect me but you can still hurt me as you make a point of doing as often as possible. As long as I lived it didn't matter, right?" I growl out. His scowl deepens a moment before he leans close enough that his nose was almost touching mine. Suddenly, the glare fades away and he backs up.

"You're too much like your mother. Once you get an idea you cling to it so stubbornly you'd rather die than let go. I'm glad that you let go of the notion that Dumbledore knows everything." he finally says. Before I can retort with something Marvolo, Lucius, and a tall, broad-chested man that had on a blue flannel and worn jeans entered the room. He had wild hair pulled back in a leather band, it didn't look like it'd been brushed in ages. He had some scruff around his face like he hadn't shaved in a few days, and his height was impressive. His hands looked like he could wrap the whole thing around my upper arm no problem. Hell one of them would probably cover most of my sternum. When I get a glimpse of the amber eyes that were eyeing me in equal measure I realize that I was looking at the infamous Fenrir Greyback. Well, that was something I hadn't thought about. I'd never met the man, but his rough looks were something I could get used to. He smirks suddenly, and I realize that I was probably giving off a smell that let him know I was interested. I shrug, not ashamed that I found him good looking, before focusing on Marvolo.

"My things are packed. I don't need a large living space but I would ask that my ritual room be at least 20 by 20 with one wall filled with shelves for various items, and a corner closed off for anything or one that is gathered for what I need. Speaking of, in a few days, one of my gatherers will be bringing me a child. The child must be comfotable with the person doing the ritual before hand so I'm going to have them around for a week before I will perform my ritual that will bring Masphida into the child and once she gives me what I want, the child will revert back to their normal personality besides occasionally giving off burst of magic until she leaves them." I explain as best as I could.

"Very well. Thank you for letting us know. This is Fenrir Greyback, and Fenrir, this is Harry Potter. He will be staying here, under my protection." Marvolo introduces, emphasizing the 'my protection' part. Fenrir grins at me, showing too many teeth, but I shrug it off. I'm shown to my room and I'm shocked. I was expecting a room as big as the one I had in the basement room. I wasn't a friend, after all. I was someone using him for protection so that I could practice what I want to. Granted, I promised that I would fight and let him use the guardians I summon in his war, but I wasn't expecting to be treated to this.

The door opened to a room with a fireplace, two couches, three armchairs, and three of the four walls covered in dark red bookshelves that were mostly empty. One door off to the left, which was a mahogany color, was the only indication that this was supposed to be a bedroom. There was even a desk off to the right, facing the door I'd come through and next to the fireplace that matched the bookshelves. THe fireplace was huge, obviously used for flooing. The dark wood trim went well with the hardwood and the rugs on the floor were dark greens and blues that matched the couches and chairs.

I motion for Rabastan and Snape to put the trunks down in the open space of the room and head for the door. I push it open and I'm shocked even more. A huge bed took up most of the room, with dark blue covers and matching drapes that were currently pulled back. To my let were two doors, and the back wall was covered in windows that all had drapes that matched the bed. I step forward and practically sink into the carpet that covered the entire floor. I kick my shoes off and step onto the dark covered carpet. Lights flared on and I see that it's the same color as everything else in the room. The walls were a silvery color that offset the blue nicely. I open the first door and find a large closet that was bare. I throw the next one open to find the bathroom. The entire thing was black marble. The sink, the toilet, the floors, walls, and ceiling, even the tub and the shower that was in there. The banister was gold, the towels were black, and the faucet was gold as well on all the fixtures. I step back out to the main room and everyone is gathered there.

"This room anyone can come in, but I'll set a ward so that they have to have you or I's permission before they can waltz in. that way you have privacy. The bedroom has a ward over it so that you are only allowed in it unless you want someone in your room. Now, is the coloring to your liking?"

"The rooms are perfect, thank you. Is there anything I should know? Am I allowed to move the furniture around?" I ask, immediately thinking of moving the bed.

"Of course. And if want colors changed, just call on Gigi, a house elf here that will be at your beck and call so long as you stay here." Marvolo agrees.

"Thank you," I tell him after glancing around again. He looks surprised at that, but nods. Then he glances at the two Lestrange brothers, Snape, and Lucius standing behind him and to the left.

"Leave us please," he commands, and they disappear. When I glance at Fenrir, who was on the other side of Marvolo, he rolls his eyes but leaves before Marvolo can tell him to leave. When they're gone I collapse onto one of the armchairs and motion for Marvolo to do so. He sits gracefully, not at all like my full-on flop just seconds ago.

"I'd like to talk to you about your political moves." Marvolo starts hesitantly.

"I'm not in politics."

"I'm aware. I know that you don't want to be, either. I was hoping you'd be willing to pass off your votes in the wizengamot to certain others that will use it in our cause." he explains. I think it over a few moments.

"I will when you get Umbridge out of office. Preferably dead but I wont throw too much of a fit if she's just thrown out on her ass. " I tell him finally. He blinks in surprise.

"THat's the only thing you want?"

"That's not the only thing I want. You do that, and I'll sign over all votes for both Potter and Black to Lucius until I'm 27. That will put him at 19 votes, seven more than Scrimgeour and making him new Cheif Warlock in the wizengamot. The very first thing I want him to do is to repeal the werewolf laws." I explain.

"Why would that be the first thing? Surely the dark arts laws-"

"People are going to be practicing those regardless. Doing it illegally for awhile longer won't hurt anyone. Every day the werewolf laws are in place, more people are hurt, sterilized, and outcast. Werewolves are just people with a dark art infused into their blood. That doesn't make them any less human. Getting them back into society, especially legally, will benefit the dark side greatly. Besides, I can think of four lordships and two seats that would be gained if the law was revoked. Wouldnt you want that many more lords under your belt? And, Salazar already had a cure for werewolves made up. The journal for it is in my trunk. I was going to hand it over to you if this went well so that Snape could play with it. Getting Umbridge sacked will give him time to publicize and test the so-called cure."

"You say cure like it isn't a real cure."

"It's not. The wolfsbane poisons the werewolves that take it. I know that. It's a ministry forced poision that is killing unwanted animals. But this cure is clean, pure, and will make the transistion feel like an animagius transformation, and they can keep their head if they would like. However if they want to give in to the wolf, they can. It's just giving them a choice now." I admit. He looks insanely curious but doesn't ask anymore questions as he thinks.

"I will see what I can do. I was expecting a much bigger argument from you for giving away that power." he says, not exactly saying it as a question.

"I don't like the Wizengmot. I'm hoping by the time I turn 27, you'll have cleaned up the ministry enough." I wave away his funny look and hesitantly call for Gigi.

"Master Necromancer called for Gigi?" a small house elf, the smallest I've ever seen, pop into place beside me.

"I'm hungry, would you mind getting a light snack and drink so that I will be able to sleep tonight?" I ask politely. I don't get an answer, but she pops away.

"We'll have to decide if we want the death eaters to know who you are or not."

"I'll be Necromancer _anima mea umbra_ , and I'll make sure my necromancer robes and mask are in place when I'm not in these rooms," I say immediately.

"You don't want them to know that you're a necromancer? Your name will be put into the papers under our side, you know that."

"And I'll be showing my face as Lord Black on your side. But I will not be known as a Necromancer until I'm sure that I can protect myself."

"Kesl gave you his rune did he not?" he looks confused. Before I can answer a bowl of fruit and a glass of water showed up next to me on a little table I hadn't noticed before. I take out a grape and think back to what he told me.

"He said that it could take me up to a week to assimilate the information, and just because I know what to do with a weapon doesn't mean that my body knows what to do. I'm going to have to train, I'm just going to know how I need to train instead of finding an instructor for it. I'm going to start with swords and daggers so that I can handle up close combat since once I turn 17 I'll be decent at long range with my wand." I admit to him finally.

"You always seemed like a brat in the stories I was told by my followers. To meet you like this is… unnerving. You're more mature than most of the younger generation I've met." He muses at me. I shrug, continuing to eat. I had a role to play, and now I didn't. I was given the protection I'd never had before, I wasn't going to disgrace the offer by pretending to be something I'm not. Of course, by the end of all this, he might prefer that.

"I'll leave you to settle in. oh, here." he pulls a small wooden box out of one of his pockets and I shoot him a confused look but take it. I slide the lid to the side and realize he has my glasses that I had left with Tom.

"Thank you," I tell him as I take them out, and put the others on the side table to the chair I was in. they disappear as I settle the new ones on my face, adjusting them. He makes a noise I don't understand and when I glance at him he's standing.

"Breakfast is served at 7 in the morning, and I'll have Gigi show you around tomorrow after." he tells me, heading for the door to exit.

"Good night, Marvolo." I murmur, not moving from my seat to see if he leaves or not. I hear the door shut and stay sitting, happy to just relax. I'd been on edge all summer, it was nice to not have to look over my shoulder at everything.


	5. Chapter 5

The next thing I know something squealing and somewhat heavy is dropped into my lap. I catch it reflexively and when my eyes snap open I focus on Kikio, the gatherer I have that most often takes the form of a child. She grins at me, and motions to a bag next to her feet.

"I took the liberty of finding things a six-month-old would need."

"Wha?" I murmur, clutching tighter to the squirming thing in my lap.

"Baba!" is screeched and I snap my head down to see a smiling child, reaching slobber covered hands towards my face. I reel back, and it just giggles, rolling from side to side over my knees while I try to keep him from falling. It was a boy, from what I could tell. He had whispy, red hair and a smattering of freckles all over his chest and face. He had a - here I sniff slightly hesitantly- clean diaper on, and his little legs and arms were flailing, obviously happy to be there.

"What did you do to him?" I mutter, rubbing my face with one hand.

"Nothing! I set a small binding to you so that he doesn't feel confused about not having a familiar face, otherwise, He's just a happy baby. I fed him before I dropped him on you. He is okay, right?" she asks suddenly nervous. I nod absently, checking him over, counting toes and fingers much to his delight as he squeals again.

"Fabulous as always Kikio. Does he have any clothes?"

"All in the bag."

"And his name?"

"They called him Thule at the orphanage, because he was the largest baby there and because they found him during a meteor shower."

"Appropriate," I mutter, running my fingers through the soft hair of the baby who babbles excitedly at the contact. I pick him up carefully, and I'm relieved that he seems to be able to keep his head up as I get out of the chair I'd fallen asleep in with a groan.

"Kikio, I'll let you find a sheep if you keep an eye on him while I shower." I murmur as I dig through the bag she had brought me. She claps delightedly, and I sigh when I realize she doesn't have any form of blanket in the bag, though I find a cot and some mashed food. I set up the cot in the corner of the room next to my desk and deposit the baby carefully, wincing when he grabs my hair and pulls. She begins cooing to get his attention and I scramble away, heading for the bedroom. I grab a change of clothes from my trunk and call on Gigi.

"What time is it?" I ask as I begin stripping my old robes off.

"6:30 master necromancer."

"Will you unpack my things? And there's a child in the next room, I need him dressed and ready for us to leave by 6:45, the unpacking can wait until you have a free moment today," I ask her. She bobs her head yes and disappears again. I shower quickly, and then move to the sink, brushing my hair and teeth before pulling on a pair of dark colored jeans and black socks, as well as a white undershirt and a dark red teeshirt. I waltz into the room after I get my shoes on to find the baby fascinated by Gigi, who had him dressed in a white teeshirt and blue overalls with shoes and everything.

"You're amazing Gigi, kikio, my thanks." I murmur as I pick the boy up along with the bag.

"Gigi, one more thing today. I need a blanket and a changing mat for the babe." I ask as I follow her out into the hall.

"May I ask Mistress Malfoy for help?"

"Of course, whatever you need to do to get it done." I agree immediately. I had a feeling she'd be spending a lot of time with the baby anyway, the way I always heard Pansy going on and on about her fawning over her little sister it was obvious that she loved children. We stop outside a pair of double doors three floors down from my room and two hallways away from the foyer I'd taken us to. I didn't want to scare anyone that might be in there by just casually shadow-walking there, and I didn't want to chance it with a child now, especially if what Snape said was true and it was a nasty feeling on any other person. She opens them for me and I stroll in, ignoring all the heads that swivel my way.

"You've found a child already?" Snape's voice is the first one I hear as I move for a seat. I glance up to see Narcissa eyeing the boy and Lucius doing the same. Draco just looks shocked to see me there, and the Lestrange brothers looked like the very idea of a child in their presence was something to run from. Bellatrix looked transfixed, and I realized that perhaps her and Rudolphus not having an heir might not be by choice.

"His name is Thule. Say hello Thule." I say jokingly as I sit and put his bag to my left. To my surprise, he makes a squealing noise and waves his hands excitedly.

"Oh, he's adorable! May I?" Narcissa is already half out of her seat before I can give an answer, and I can't say no. I hand over the child and she takes the bag with her, leaving me hands-free to eat. While I'm' filling my plate, Draco seems to find his voice.

"What are you doing here?" He asks in a confused tone.

"Marvolo and I signed a peace treaty yesterday. He's offering me protection and in return, I'm going to put my necromancy and name as lord black to use on your side of the war." I say idly as I grab a few extra pieces of bacon. I get about halfway through the meal before Fenrir comes in and freezes. He takes a deep breath, and then his head swivels to Narcissa, who was entertaining Thule with faces more than she was eating.

"Why does the cub smell like Potter?"

"My gatherer found a child and did a mild binding so the kid wasn't screaming the entire time I had him. He's six months old, his name is Thule."

"When's his birthday?" Bellatrix asks softly like she was afraid to bring attention to herself. I frown at that. Why would she want to take attention away from herself?

"I don't-"

"Thank you Harry!" arms go around my waist from behind and the cold feeling washes through me, making me shiver.

"Kikio. Happy hunting then?"

"Sheep are delicious! Is there anything you need before I go to sleep?" she asks, bouncing in place. The child like form is amusing when you know that this little girl used to slaughter millions the last time a third tier necromancer came up in history.

"I was asked when Thule's birthday is. Do you know?"

"January 14th! He's the youngest wizarding child that I could find in an orphanage. The next youngest was just under three years, I figured you wouldn't like that." she tells me nervously.

"You did well Kikio, and you deserve to rest. I won't need you once your brothers get back for at least a month. Happy dreams, Kikio. " I dismiss her formally and she curtseys before disappearing. I go back to my food but Fenrir is still looking at me with an odd look that I don't like.

"What?" I say defensively.

"Nothing. How long will you have the child?"

"Approximately three months under my care. After that, I'll see to it that he goes to a good wizarding home."

"Why?" Bellatrix jumps back in, then grimaces like she was worried I'd get angry at her. What was her problem?

"Because a wizard being raised by muggles is a nightmare," I say firmly. At the startled looks I get I roll my eyes.

"I was raised by Muggles, and until I was in school I thought my name was 'freak'. Muggles don't take kindly to the strange and weird, unless they themselves are already strange and weird, such as 'mione's parents. I'm not going to send a pretty much defenseless child back to a muggle that would potentially abuse them when there are plenty of parents that would adopt them. Or, you could take him as your first subject of placing muggleborns in their rightful families." I point out to Marvolo. He shrugs in response and I realize that he isn't a morning person. I turn to the table again.

"Starting next week I'll need someone to babysit for a few hours a day, three at most. Narcissa, Bellatrix, would you be willing to do so? Or anyone else who wants to look after a child?" I address the table.

"You'd trust the child with me?" Bellatrix asks, shocked. I scowl at that, finally annoyed, and stand. I hold my hands out and Thule immediately reaches for me, his cooes aimed at Narcissa turning into excited babbling again. I pick him and his bag up, and then turn to Rudolphus.

"I'd like permission to go on a walk with your wife in the gardens while we discuss exactly why Lord Black should be upset, angry, or otherwise annoyed with Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black," I ask as politely as possible. It was odd having to talk in the third person, but I knew that it was the correct way for an unmarried male to ask a married male for a personal moment with his wife. Politics were confusing, but when he nodded after a slight hesitation I turn and wait for Bellatrix to stand. When she does I practically dump the squealing child in her arms and she instantly melts, cooing as I lead her away from my unfinished meal and to the hallway, where she takes over. Soon enough we're strolling in the garden together.

"So, what did you supposedly do that has you looking like I'm going to throw a killing curse at you any second?" I ask eventually. She doesn't take her eyes from Thule, but suddenly she's very stiff.

"I was the one to send Sirius through the veil." she murmurs, not looking up. I glance her way, to see if she was serious, and then huff.

"Bellatrix, that's a stupid reason."

"But-"

"No, listen to me. You didn't make Sirius go to the ministry. You didn't ask him to duel you if I recall he instigated it. You didn't ask him to be a prejudiced asshole when it came to what was right and wrong and Gryffindor and Slytherin. You didn't tell him to throw himself into a duel he wasn't ready for physically. You weren't the one who forced him to live in his childhood home, and you didn't ask him to jump into a fight because he was bored and borderline suicidal after Azkaban. I don't blame you for killing him because you sent a stunner his way. I'm not blind, the light wasn't green. A lot factored into Sirius' death, and you was the smallest portion of it." I tell her firmly. She pulls Thule even closer to her, but doesn't talk otherwise. After a loop of the gardens Thule gets fussy, and I make a face as I realize that that means he's going to need changing.

"Were you serious about me watching the child?" she asks me hopefully.

"Of course. You, your husband, either of your brother in laws, I even plan on making Marvolo watch him at least once while he's here." I tease, and she giggles slightly, almost reminding me of her laugh in the battles I'd witnessed.

"I'll change him if you give me the bag," she says hesitantly. I pass it over willingly, and she sets down right there in the garden, surprising me. She takes out a handkerchief and transfigures a changing blanket that she lays Thule down on. I kneel next to her, knowing that I'm going to have to learn how to do this eventually. She talks through changing his diaper- I was surprised to see that his under shirt was, in fact, a one piece that buttoned up under his bottom- cooing at him to keep him calm and barely flinching while cleaning him up.

"I'll just bring him to you for every dirty diaper," I say as she banishes the dirty one and puts a new one on him. He giggles up at her as her hair bounces near his face, trying to reach up and latch on.

"I'd be happy to. I was hit with a curse in the first war, making it impossible for me to have children naturally." she murmurs.

"Did you ever try a surrogate?" I ask as I pick up his bag again. At her confused look, I want to roll my eyes. I forget that just because she was smart didn't mean that she knew anything about muggles.

"THere's a lot of science involved, but basically, someone takes the egg of a mother, and the sperm of a father, and puts a fertilized egg into a separate woman. Usually a friend or family member, or someone they pay to carry the children. The child is still the mother and fathers, but the woman used her body to carry the child to term." I explain as best I could. She looks shocked at this, so I scratch the back of my head, making the hair I'd pulled back into a loose ponytail fall out.

"Gigi?" I call hesitantly when Bellatrix still hasn't answered.

"Yes master Necromancer." she pops in next to Bellatrix, startling the witch who whips her wand out and leans over Thule in a defensive way before she realizes it's a house elf. That surprises me.

"I'd like you to get some basic books on surrogate mothers and the process behind them for Bellatrix and Rudolphus. Not immediately but sometime today." I tell her as politely as I can.

"You think it would work? Would it work for cissa and Lucius as well? How long does it take? What-"

"Whoa, Bellatrix, I'm not sure. I know the basics because my aunt was talking down about a gay couple down the street using a surrogate and a donated egg to have a baby of their own. Other than what I told you, I know nothing. That's why I asked Gigi to get you something to read up on it. I'd ask Snape if there's a magical equivalent, and if not I'm sure if you paid him enough he could make one." I assure her. She glances down at Thule, then the house, and I laugh at her.

"Go find your husband and talk to him. The baby and I aren't going anywhere." I assure her. She jumps up and moves into the home while I settle down next to Thule. I grin down at him, digging into his bag. There was a charm to make it expandable, so I wasn't' surprised to find a cross-section of plastic covered in soft fabric that crinkled when I touched it, and had several things hanging that would dangle above the babe. I settle it around him, and he immediately latches on to a key like an item and tugs, making it stretch to him. Music begins playing, surprising me, and making him happy. I summon my sketch book after a long moment of watching him play and begin creating the scene Thule was making on a piece of paper.

"You look good with a cub." a gruff voice says behind me later on. I'd fed Thule, and he was napping as a soft melody played from a stuffed dragon I'd found in the bag. I'd gotten two more sketches of him done, one shadowed and one not, so that I could start practicing with other mediums than just pencil and charcoal.I glance up to see Fenrir and Rabastan behind me. Fenrir was obviously the one to speak up, so I shrug.

"I don't plan on having any until I'm well over the age of thirty."

"Why?" Rabastan questions as he settles on the blanket Gigi had managed to get for me. Thule snuffles in his sleep and I settle a hand over his chest and stomach so that he doesn't roll around, and I answer as he settles down.

"I want to be a teacher when everyone of importance is weeded out of the school. That means classes, an apprenticeship, gaining my mastery, and a tenure of at least five years. And I won't want a child while I'm settling into a job, let alone have time to find someone to have children with. On top of that, I'm extremely gay, and that tends to curb the 'accidental' babies. I'd have to plan pretty far ahead to have a child." I point out. I knew from listening to Neville, Dean, and Seamus talk that male couples can naturally carry children, but a two month long potions regimen was required first.

"Fair." Fenrir grumbles, taking a seat on the other side of Thule. His eyes blink open, the brown color foggy a moment before he lets out an excited sound and rolls to his stomach, trying to lift his head to see the large man. He makes an amused noise and sweeps the child up, getting a huge, excited squeal. He babbles at the werewolf as Fenrir inspects him, bouncing him on his chest every once in awhile to keep his attention.

"At least you know how to handle a kid." I point out.

"I would hope so, I used to help raise the cubs before I left the pack," he tells me without looking away from Thule, who was yanking on his loose hair. The kid had a fascination for it, which is why mine was up in a bun again so that he couldn't get ahold of it.

"I overheard Bella talking to my brother. Is what you said true?" Rabastan asks after awhile.

"It works for muggles," I say, shrugging.

"It would make Bellas year to finally have a child of her own." he murmurs, lost in thought.

"I told her to talk to Snape."

"She will. Narcissa, too." he muses, laying back. I stand, stretching before I glance at the house.

"I have to head in and meditate, I'm getting a headache again. Do you mind watching Thule?" I ask the werewolf. Out of everyone, I knew he'd watch him the most, and he obviously knew how to handle the giggling child.

"So long as you don't mind leaving your child alone with the notorious child snatcher, sure." he muses, giving me a curious look.

"I know that most of what the light tries to tell me is all lies. The number of children turned by werewolves is next to none, children are useless for years once they become a werewolf, unlike the born ones. The only reason one would bite a child is if they recognized them as a cub or an extremely sick child. Wolves are in the pack mentality, they will do whatever it takes to help a small being, human or wolf alike. A hurting, sick child will get bitten because the wolf knows that the lycanthropy will wipe out all another virus' or diseases." I tell him patiently.

"How-"

"Remus forgave you a long time ago and explained it to me. He'd like to meet you, but he's constantly surrounded by members of the Order of Phoenix. Until I turn 17 I can't evict them from the house that they are using, and he can't leave because he's an outcast to society right now since Snape outed him as a werewolf." I point out. He gets a thoughtful look and I walk away before he can do anything about it. When I reach my room I lay down, groaning, and cover my face with a pillow. I slowly start accumulating the information I'd gotten, something I'd fallen asleep doing last night. I can push it all away for so long, but for now, I had to sort it out before a full-blown migraine sets in.


	6. Chapter 6

"Shush now Thule, You're fine." I murmur to the child wailing in my arms. I was ready to silence him, but Marvolo and Lucius, who was in the room, wouldn't allow that. It was time for the ritual, so I was bare as ever, along with little Thule who was letting me know exactly what he thought of the cold floor and the dried blood I'd used to paint runes on him. I finally get annoyed enough, taking out a smudge stick and writing a quick rune next to his left eye, making him fall asleep.

"Harry!" Marvolo's exclimation makes my own eye twitch.

"I don't have to let you watch." I snap in return. That makes him fall silent, and I get back to drawing the runes needed around me. The three pails of goat blood was to the left of the sleeping babe, and I move the struggling woman to the northermost point of my circle, away from Thule and the blood. I slit my arm carefully so that I don't hit a vein, and then begin chanting in the demonic I learned first year.

"Blood of a woman, I call on Mesphida." I say clearly after a few minutes of dripping blood in the circle. I turn and dig the ritual blade into the womans chest, causing her to scream and wiggle against the rope I'd bound her in. the blood flows around but never hits any of the runes or the lines I'd put down.

"Death of a woman, I summon Mesphida. Daughter of the wronged, I ask your presence." I tack on her exact summoning words, before making the circle chanting again.

"With the blood of a death, I summon Mesphida. With the blood of _anima mea umbra_ , I demand her presence. With my portal, I bring her here." I make the common line down, and immediately a light red to pink mist spills out as a joyfilled giggle echoes in the large room.

"I've been waiting on _you_ , Master _anima mea umbra_!" she sing songs. I focus on the densest fog, bowing lowly.

"Mesphida."

"What is it you need, dearest?"

"I'd like your rune blessing, if you may." I say carefully.

"No."

Her presence doesn't change, so she's not angry, so why did she deny me? She must see my puzzled look because she giggles again.

"You're too cute! I say no, because you won't need it. In less than a years time you'll be a lord, and you wont need the rune to do as you need. Oh! Secrets, I'm sorry!" she giggles again at her confusing statement, but I let it go.

"I summoned you for a rune, so what would you suggest?" I ask a bit impatiently.

"I could give you the rune of sight." she singsongs.

"I can see just fine." I deadpan, already getting a headache from her.

"No, silly, my sight! I see magic. It's mesmerizing, and you will have the upper hand in a battle. Anyone's magic is visable, no matter what spell they're hiding under, or what peice of cloth. And you can see a spell building before anyone casts, spoken or not. What do you say, you want my sight?"

"In return for what exactly?" I demand.

"The goats blood, the woman, and a month in the babe." she rattles off easily. That was better than I expected, but I don't agree just yet.

"Where would the rune go?"

"Why, under your eyelids of course." she says too sweetly for that sentence. I begin cursing in demonic, making her giggle, and pause to think about it.

"Don't do it unless you're sure that you want it, Harry." Marvolos voice startles me, I'd forgotten that he was there to be honest. I think a moment longer before I nod.

"Fine. Drink well." I murmur, and watch as she devours the blood and part of the woman. She was still mist like, but now I could see the toddler like form of the demon. She prances up to me with a too wide grin and yanks me down to her level.

She places her hands over my eyes, and for the second time in a month, a demon reanders me to screaming myself hoarse in pain. It's over within minutes, but I can't get myself to move as I rest on the floor of the rune circle.

"Oh, silly me, I forgot! I wouldn't open my eyes for three days, otherwise you'll go blind. Ta!" I hear her giggle before I hear what sounds like Thule gurgling, and then he's wailing. I'm cursing twenty ways to sunday as I feel around in my head for which way the portal was. I close it quickly, and when a wash of magic hits me I sigh in relief.

"Someone help me up, someone else grab Thule. He's hungry, find him some cereal to naw on." I demand of the two men in the room. A smooth hand is placed in mine as I clench my eyes shut so I'm not tempted to peek at the wailing babe and comfort him. Despite my words, most of the time I spent with him myself.

"Here." something wraps around my eyes and I relax, realizing Lucius has blindfolded me with something and Marvolo has rushed out of the room with Thule. Lucius leads me out after throwing the robes I'd set to the side on me, and I help him settle it around my shoulders as we move out of the ritual room. I find myself seated, and then warmth hits me and I realize I must be in front of the fire.

"Oh, Harry!" I hear Narcissa before I feel her press an again happy Thule into my lap and ruffle my hair.

"He's got cereal in this." she says, pressing a container into my hands. I hear rustling, I'm assuming it's everyone settling down, and then Marvolo speaks to my left.

"She tricked you."

"I knew she would, I wasn't sure how though. Most try, I've just been blessed with choosing those who seem to have an intrest in my well being before now." I mutter. Thule makes a gurgling sound and i tilt my head down, shifting my hand with the container closer to the child in my lap. I realize he's dressed as well. How long did it take to get to this room? Before I can ask they're moving on.

"What did she mean about you not needing her original rune?" Lucius asks from my right.

"The Necromancer lord can summon any level on a whim. But the earliest anyone has ever gotten that level of summoning was 40. Someone can breeze through the first few tiers like I have, but then they wont be told how to advance to the secenth tier until they ar edeemed ready by the first sixth tier they summoned. So until Kesl tells me I can study farther and gives me the materials needed for it, I won't be able to study anything over a sixth teir, not that their aren't plenty of those. You also have to decide for yourself when you're ready to practice what you're reading. I personally wait until I've memorized every possible summons and demon on the teir i'm studying for before I try and summon a single one." I tell them carefully. Thule latches onto one of my fingers and I grimace. He was teething again and would chew on anything he could get his hands on, and this time it was my middle finger of my left hand.

"How long are you unable to see?" Bellatrix's voice closer to me then I was expecting startles me, but I don't jostle Thule who was still drooling excitingly on my fingers.

"Three days or so. I'd go four just to be safe." Marvolo speaks for me.

"Would one of you mind watching Thule until then? I-"

"Who hurt Harry?" Fenrir's voice was a low growl from somewhere in front of me. Before anyone can answer I feel one hand on my shoulder and another tilting my head up. I hear someone inhaling deeply, repeatedly, all around me. He pauses near my arm that I had clutched around a content Thule, and it's pulled from around his middle.

"You're bleeding!" he says gruffly, and something touches my arm before his warm hand is pressed along the cut I made. He doesn't move for a minute and I hear Thule babbling to him, and a few smacking pats that I don't feel that meant he was smacking on Fenrir.

"We don't hit people Thule." I chide softly while trying to stop him with my free hand. Fenrir lets go of my arm slowly, and I run my free hand over it to feel the cute healed.

"Thank you." I murmur and he makes a grunting noise before he's moving. I feel him settling next to me in the seat I have, so I must be on a couch.

"I forgot that you cut yourself in the ritual." Lucius admits. I listen as Lucius and Marvolo fill the Lestrange brothers and Fenrir, who apparently had just came back from heading out somewhere. I help Thule snuggle up to my chest, and I rock just slightly until I hear him fall asleep. Unfortunaely, that put me asleep as well.

 _A/N_

 _Happy Holidays!_

 _I"ve had some problems the past couple months that kept me from updating. I figured getting a solid chapter to every story would be a great way to get everything back on track. I hope to start updating at a regular schedule starting this week._

Update: I planned on uploading this the 25th, but for whatever reason, FF wont let me upload anything at all. I'll have it up asap.


	7. Chapter 7

When I wake up someone is lifting Thule off of me. I clutch the babe reflexively a moment before I release the squirming child. I didn't need eyes to know he was uncomfortable, I could clearly smell what he'd done to himseslf. A hand settles in my hair, and I make a groggy noise that has several of them chuckling.

"Did you sleep well?" I hear Tom ask from my left. It was at a distance, but I wasn't concerned. He liked to stand by the fire. For whatever reason, he was always cold, so he didn't stray too far from it if it was in a room.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep. Who is this?" I ask, patting at the leg I was laying on. A deep, rumbling laugh was my answer and I immediately realize it's Fenrir.

"It's almost dinner time, but first, I want to know if you would feel more comfortable these next few days if someone stayed with you. For meals, while you're sleeping, helping you move around the place while you can't see. Would that be acceptable?" Lucius' voice from near Tom startles me slightly more than Tom's did, but I answer.

"Depends on who it was, I suppose." I say thoughtfully.

"I was thinking either Draco, or Fenrir."

"Not Draco." I counter immediately.

"Hey! I'm not that bad, Potter!" I jump at the added volume to a voice not too far from me. I didn't remember him speaking before.

"I'm not saying you're that bad, Draco. I'm saying that I don't want to rely on you for every little thing for the next four days. I'd never hear the end of it. Literally. You'd either hound me about it for the next millennia or you'd make sure everyone knew and never forgot that the Harry Potter had to depend on you for every little thing. Not happening." I counter. There's a chuckle above me before the hand that had settled on my hair began going through it carefully to not disturb my makeshift blind.

"And who's to say I wouldn't do the same, _Parva Lupus._ " is murmured. I puzzle over the latin- I knew a lot of it, but Parva wasn't one I heard often- before I realized he'd just called me little wolf. I don't ask about that, instead just shrugging.

"I'm not saying you would. I do know that you don't get out often. You wouldn't be able to bring it up in public often anyway." I wave off his words and I get a few laughs in return.

"So you would not mind me as a shadow?" he asks more clearly.

"It would be a great help to me at least." I agree. Before anyone can answer, I hear Thule babbling in baby talk outside the room. I sit up, dislodging Fenrir's hand in my hair, and move to take the babe back as someone places him in my lap.

"All cleaned up, and ready for more food I think." Bella's voice is almost a soft coo, obviously fawning over the child.

"I am too. Rituals are exhausting." I murmur as thule grabs at my hands. I'm reminded briefly that this isn't Thule, right now. It's Mesphida, feeding off of our love and adoration for the child to feed her own sick kind of game.

"Then let us get to dinner. Hand me Thule, so you can walk." Lucius' voice surprises me but not as much as it should have. He'd taken to little Thule as much as the girls have. I hand the drooling child over, wipe my hands on the robe I had on, and before I can stand, two hands are under my arms and lifting me to my feet. I make a noise that I was not proud of, but they simply let me go and slide one of my arms to intertwine theirs.

"Will you be able to walk with me?" Fenrir's voice is close to my ear, and I'm surprised I don't startle at it.

"Small steps, please. I'm much shorter than you are."

"I'm aware of our size differences, yes." he says in amusement. My teenage mind takes that down a much different path than what he meant, and I could _feel_ the blush climbing quickly to my face.

"So, Harry, what will this rune do once you can see again?" Draco's voice ahead of me draws me to answer before I can say anything else on the matter, and I begin explaining everything that I would be able to see.

Dinner passes by and besides a laughable moment where I stick my hand in my plate reaching for a fork, it wasn't that spectacular. We chatted about the goings on at the ministry, and what Draco was doing with his day when asked about it. Thule was happily chatting to whoever was feeding him, and Tom and Nagini were having a conversation about rats, and something about rabbits. I didn't listen to that conversation too carefully.

After dinner was over, Fenrir helped me get to my room. He laughed as I stumbled over stairs and rugs, and when I complained promised to heal all the bruises I was receiving. And then, the embarrassing part. I had to have him help me _change_.

I wasn't exactly embarrassed about the new body I had, thanks to Kesl, but it was the fact it was _him_. I've been eyeing him since I got here and met him, and I can't exactly make out if he's making the same hints as me, or if he's oblivious, or if he just doesn't care. Either way, _that_ was something to be embarrassed about. Thankfully, he doesn't make a big deal about it and even helps me into the bathroom before I crawl into bed. He insists he's going to sleep on my couch, and it's a silent night as I drift off.

The next two days aren't so bad. I get more bruises, and Thule causes a panic every once in awhile, because he yanks the blindfold I'd found off when he's sitting on my lap and not getting enough attention, but other than that, nothing exciting happens. Tom even lets the twins over and we have an… interesting conversation. I explain about being a necromancer, and I explain what's been going on, and _they_ explain about Ron and Hermione.

"We just don't know what's gotten into them. I thought mom had gotten a spell on them-"

"But Bill scanned them over and there's nothing wrong. They're just assholes."

"Young ears, Learning mind. Watch your mouth." I chide them as I touch Thules head on my shoulder. He'd dozed off, but that didn't mean that around them two he would manage his first real word and it'd be a curse.

"You look good with a kid Harry." One of them seems to deem the subject unworthy of their time, or perhaps just want to change the subject.

"He's something else." I murmur, before saying louder,

"And I don't know if them not being under a curse or spell is any better."

"Well, no, but they would at least have a reason to call you the names we've heard. Bill actually hexed Rons mouth shut yesterday. It was stuck like that until mom got home from taking Ginny to Diagon to look for new robes. She's finally grown out of wearing the male versions."

"I could see Ron, because I know he's always been a bit jealous. But Hermione is something I never expected. She's usually level headed." I admit. Something moves behind me and I flinch just slightly before I register it was Fenrir. I feel him lift Thule, who makes a small distressed sound, and then I hear him murmuring to the babe.

"I'm going to put him in his cot in the next room, I'll be back in a minute." He says slightly louder before walking off.

"He's the weirdest one to see here." the twins blurt together immediately.

"Fenrir? He's been a lot of help lately." I wave off their comment and one of them makes a snorting noise.

"I know you have a blindfold on, but were you blind before the summoning? I wouldn't be able to control myself if that was around every day." was said. I knew it was Fred, because he was the one who liked men. I laugh at that, and when a throat clears I laugh even harder.

"You- y-you know h-he's a werewolf! D-did you forget h-his hearing?" I gasp out in my fit.

"I didn't expect him to hear me with the door closed!" Is whined, and that sets me off again. When I finally settle down, I realize that I've given myself the hiccups.

"Do you want a drink, Harry?" Fenrir asks immediately. I nod, and he calls an house elf.

"Has Bill decided where he's having the wedding yet?" I ask eventually.

"Oh! Yes, Fleur's parents are friends with the Krums, and he's apparently taken a good impression of you. When Bill said he considered you a friend he offered use of the Aconite Gardens."

"I'm scared to ask what that is." I admit, A hand presses a glass in my hand and I nod my thanks.

"It's a potions garden of sorts. It's located on a krum owned farm, and it's used to collect potions ingredients. It's supposedly the most beautiful garden in the wizarding world." Fenrir beats them to the answer as I sip at my drink, hoping to get rid of my hiccups.

"Krum is coming to the wedding, his only stipulation, but Bill was more than willing to allow that. Everyone will have a portkey, and the wedding party will stay the day before at the farm house located nearest the gardens."

"Oh! Right, the wedding party! Fleur has taken Hermione off the party, and Molly isn't allowed to touch anything anymore. And, Ron isn't on the list of groomsmen either. We thought that would get them to listen but they're just blaming you for that, too."

"I'm not surprised." I admit, and turn to where I had last Heard Fenrir moving, holding out the glass. It's taken immediately and I hear it sat down nearby.

"Can we come back when you can actually see again?"

"Yeah! We can go flying!"

"You think I can't go flying now?" I taunt back.

"No way in hell am I letting you anywhere near a broom while you're _blind_." Fenrir's voice is more of a growl than speech, and I'm startled at that.

"Who says it's you that has to let me? I'd only have to ask Tom, and he'd get a kick out of it."

"I'm the one watching you, I'm the one who gets a say in what you do." He snaps back. I huff.

"And here I thought you was my friend, and not a prison warden. I was told I could do what I please. What I please, includes _riding a broom_."

"And you can, in two days, when _you can see again!_ "

"It's not like I could do much on a fucking broom! I'd still like to get in the air!"

"It's not going to happen!"

"You can't dictate what I'm going to do! If I want to go flying I will!" I move to stand, planning on just leaving the room, and I'm startled into a sound no man should make when my feet are swept out from under me.

"Fenrir! Put me down!"

"I'm sorry, Fred, George, Harry's going to have to talk to you another time."

"No problem!"

"See you in a few days Harry!"

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

That last one was definitely Fred, and I growl, tempted to swat at anything I could, but I couldn't tell what he was doing, how he was holding me, I was completely disoriented.

"Put me down!"

"No."

"FENRIR!"

He ignores me and opens a door of some sort and took off.

"You're just going to leave Thule? What the fuck! I'm not a child, put me down!"

"I'll put you down when you stop acting like a child!"

"What kind of fucked up logic is that!" I exclaim, and take a swing at anything, out of spite. I bounce my hand off a wall or something before I can hit him and hiss, snatching my hand close.

"Would you F-"

"You cuss again, and I'm tanning your hide. If you don't want to be treated like a child, you'll shut up and wait until I get where I'm going."

He said this in a calm, detached manner, and that worries me. I fall silent, and feel my face going red when I hear a puzzled voice call my name.

"Tom, please see to Thule in Harry's rooms. The twins may or may not be there. We will be back soon." is said in that same tone that was starting to frighten me. It's an otherwise silent walk until I'm thrown onto something soft. I scramble back immediately, hissing when I put pressure on my hand.

"Let me see that."

"More orders?" I sneer back, but hesitantly hold the hand out to where I heard his voice. He doesn't reply, but I feel fingers prodding at my sore knuckles.

"You broke something. How did you manage that?" he mutters something else and then a wand touches my hand. I flinch as I feel something click and pop, and then there's relief.

"Now that you've calmed down, do you want to tell me why you threw such a fit about someone caring enough to tell you no to a stupid idea?" his voice moves away, and I try to scowl at him through the blindfold.

"I wouldn't have done anything stupid. And it was a joke until you got all high and mighty about _not letting me_ do what I wanted!" I start raising my voice at the end.

"I wasn't getting 'high and mighty'. I was telling you that while you relied on me to help you, I wasn't going to let you do anything stupid like trying to fly blind." I hear him moving, and I was half tempted to rip the blindfold off so I could see him.

"You don't have the right to do that! I asked you to help me. That doesn't mean dictating what I can do!"

"I wasn't dictating anything. I was just tell you, that making stupid, reckless mistakes while you're in my care isn't going to happen." there was a tinge of something in his voice that I couldn't interpret.

"That isn't your choice to make!" I exclaim, and I'm startled when he grabs my wrist and pulls me to the edge of what I assumed was a bed.

"Harry, listen to me very carefully." he says, his voice too calm.

"You gave me the role of helping you when you are incapacitated. I've healed cuts, bumps, bruises. I've helped you change, and bathe. I've managed to watch your cub and still help you. Until now, we've gotten on really well. Now. I took that role very seriously, and thought to put any wayward thoughts of you getting on a broom and potentially dying, out of your head. What I want to know is why, exactly, that caused you to explode at me the way you did."

"No one has any right to tell me what I can and cannot DO!" I growl back at his too calm tone. There was a moment hesitation, a slight tightening on the hand around my wrist, and then a soft, "Ah."

"Harry, I'm sorry I made you feel like I was controlling you. I was simply stating that while you relied on me to get around, I wasn't leading you to a broom willingly. As soon as the blindfold comes off, I'm sure you'll get to go flying. Hell, I'll even get up in the air on a broom with you. But for now, your safety is more important, and I didn't realize you'd take that as me attempting control over any aspect of your life." he's wording his phrases carefully, and I frown at that, but for the most part I listened to what he was saying. That didn't mean I knew what to say, so I stay silent.

"Are you still angry?" he asks after several minutes of just holding my wrist, waiting patiently. I feel my tense posture deflate slightly at the hesitant question.

"I don't like being told what to do." I point out. I'm sure he called it a pout, but I didn't want to call it that.

"And when you can see again, absolutely no one will be able to tell you what to do. But for now, while you're relying on everyone around you, you need to listen to some people." his tone is much gentler this time, and I agree with a hesitant nod.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N_

Gurgaraneth : I believe I answer one of your questions in this chapter ;)

"Toooom." I whine out. I can hear him laughing at me, but I'm impatient. I've had the blindfold on for a day more than I was told to, and I want it off.

"Fine, fine. I'll get the lights, Fenrir, will you take it off?" He asks. I feel Fenrir getting closer and fiddling with my hair, pulling it slightly. I flinch every once in awhile when hair comes off with the blindfold's knot, but then I feel the material fall off.

"Take your time, the lights are off right now. Open yours when you're ready." Fenrir's murmur in front of me was gentle, and I hesitate before I open my eyes before immediately slamming them closed.

"Fuck." I mutter, rubbing at my eyes. Fenrir was surrounded by a bright, amber colored glow and I'd seen a red one off to the side where I assume Tom was.

"Harry?" Fenrir's hands are covering mine, prying them off of my face. I squint at him, letting my eyes adjust as he dips his head to look at my eyes as well. After a few minutes I can deal with their glow, and Tom's kicked the lights up a few times until I can see them naturally. I put my glasses on, and make a face as that makes all the lights sharper.

"This is a pain in my ass. I see magical auras, too." I mutter at Fenrir.

"Does your head hurt?" he asks, and at my nod his fingers begin moving at my temples and I close my eyes again in bliss. I loved having my head massaged, something he had discovered a few days ago. Only Hermione and Ron had known before that, it was a point of teasing by them and I had expected it by him, too, but he'd just made a point of doing it for me a few times since then.

"Better?" he asks after a few minutes, and at my nod he stops massaging and moves to sit beside me instead of crouched in front of me. I let my eyes adjust as Tom moves the lights higher and higher, until it's at full brightness. I didn't think about the consequences that would have until Thule starts wailing from his cot in the corner. I curse, moving over to him immediately and picking him up. He squeals happily at seeing me and I grin, bouncing him slightly as I move back to my seat.

"Harry." Tom's voice makes me look up in surprise.

"Your birthday is in Three days. Bellatrix and Narcissa are adamant that you have a party today or tomorrow since you would be… down for the count on your birthday." he begins carefully.

"I don't make a habit of celebrating my birthday." I point out as I smooth a cowlick down on the top of Thules head. Fenrir leans over and puts a plastic toy in his hands that he immediately begins gumming at happily.

"We want to celebrate your birthday, now that you're family." Tom says as nonchalantly as he can. I glance up, surprised, and then at Fenrir, who's still leaning near me, and he just grins.

"We would like it very much if you allowed us to celebrate your coming of age with you." he says instead of telling me to do what I want like I expected him to. I roll my eyes at that answer.

"Well, Thule, what do you think? Do you think you would like cake?" I ask him. He makes a happy, squealing gurgling noise and I grin at him, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. His aqua colored glow moves out sharply as he squeals again, and I'm surprised as a portion of it stays near me when he does this. I'll have to ask Narcissa about that.

"Fine, it seems I'm out voted. I demand chocolate cake." I say finally. Tom grins at this, and I Shrug at Fenrir's surprised snort.

"I'll let them know." Tom says, moving to exit my study room. I play with Thule, poking at his stomach and saying 'tummy', playing with his fingers and hands and naming them, his nose, and his eyes, and his ears and hair. He's giggling the whole time, grabbing at my hands and trying to chew on them. I feel Fenrir shifting over closer again and lowering his head so that he was closer to Thules. Soon he's also playing the game, blowing raspberries on his stomach and getting squeals of laughter as Thules magic shoots out and wraps up in his. I'm surprised to see the aqua color settle into Fenrir's Amber colored magic. Looking closer, I see lighter patches that seems to have been Blue at some point.

"What does it mean if a child's magic reaches out and attaches to another person's?" I ask him finally.

"What?" he sits up, making Thule pout as Fenrir pulls his bearded face away from him. Thule seemed to love playing with the beard, which wasn't that large, barely big enough to run your fingers through. His hair was much longer.

"When I kissed his head earlier it lashed out and latched onto me before fading off, though some stayed. The smae just happened to you." I explain. After a moment of silence, he smirks.

"Well. It means that he sees us as a parental figure. He's latching onto us because that's how magical children learn to control their magic. The childs magic… seeks out their parents, or the people they see as parents, to see how they conduct magic. It's why Muggleborns don't have as great a control the first couple years of living." he explains.

"Good to know." I murmur, slightly unnerved at his smirk. I wasn't sure what it meant, but he seemed to be planning something and I didn't know what it was.

"Here, take him, please?" I ask, handing the baby over to him. He settles him easily, and I get up and stretch before walking away.

"Where are you going?" he asks, surprised, and I grin.

"I'm going to take a bath. You can stick around here if you want, you've earned a free pass into my study I think after all you've done for me. Thank you, by the way. I'll be expecting that fly as soon as I'm done with my bath." I tell him before going into my room.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" the girls excited voices makes me smile immediately, even before I take in the massive cake and mounds of presents. I shift Thule onto my hip and slide his bag down my shoulder and off my arm. Before it can hit the ground Fenrir is there, grabbing the strap off my arm and pulling it over to his own seat before he turns and holds his hands out, silently demanding the child. I pass him over, because Thule was still half asleep.

"Any pain today?" Lucius asks me as we settle in for dinner. I hadn't done much yesterday with all of them because the purples, browns, blues, and violent reds and oranges had given me a headache quickly. I'd gotten used to them individually now, and I'm glad my head doesn't even Twinge. I was also looking at Tom's library trying to find a way to 'switch' the sight off and on.

"I'm much better, thank you." I admit. It was the 30th, meaning tomorrow I was getting my magical inheritance. We were all skirting around that fact however, by celebrating now.

"Well, eat up so we can have you open presents! Your demon twins said they couldn't stop working today, but they sent presents and are coming their next day off." Bella says too brightly. I squint at her for a moment before putting it aside for now. I take a piece of the cake, but spend most of my time leaning towards Fenrir and Thule, who was successfully smashing icing into his face and giggling the whole time. Fenrir, surprisingly, wasn't upset with the mess, in fact he seemed mostly amused at the child. Everyone chatted around me and Fenrir and Thule, but for the most part, I focused on those two and was happy.

"Bill sent a letter today, didn't he Harry?" Tom suddenly addressing me had me glancing at him before focusing on feeding a bit of icing to thule off of a spoon.

"Yeah."

"What did he want?"

"His stag party is the first of August, his wedding is the third. He said I could bring whoever I wanted. And he meant anyone, because the twins told him about my circumstances. I'm also supposed to stop and talk to Fleur at some point between my birthday and the wedding, but he wouldn't say why. Why do you ask?" I sit back and finally focus on the table, who were all looking at me now. Bella, Narcissa, Draco, and Rodophulus were all on the same side, whereas Fenrir, Rabastan, and I were on the other, with Tom and Lucius on the ends. Snape wasn't there, but I didn't expect him to celebrate my birthday with us.

"I'm in need of a wardmaster. I trust him more than I do Rowen now that I've seen his peace treaty wards. Will you let him know I'd like his assistance after he gets back from his Honeymoon?" Tom asks over a glass of some kind of wine. He and Lucius have declined cake, but everyone else had gotten at least one piece.

"Sure, I'll ask." I agree. I set my utensils down and slide Thule from Fenrir's grasp so he was sitting in my lap. Fenrir casts quick cleaning spells at the table and himself where Thule had splattered the blue and silver icing, and I manually wipe his face down for him before picking him up with me.

"I don't want to open presents at the table. Lets go to the family room." I tell the ones giving me curious looks. Bella claps happily, abandoning her plate, and begins levitating the presents to take with her. I listen to Thule babble happily as I walk, sometimes replying to him as well. It was past dinner time, and I'm sure he was going to fuss soon, which is why I had let him sleep longer with his afternoon nap, because he would be awake later than normal. I settle onto the loveseat I'd claimed as mine since I got here, and the presents and Narcissa and Bella quickly followed. Draco was right behind them, and Fenrir, Tom, and Lucius come at a slower pace. Everyone else is settle before Rudopholus and Rabastan come in and settle, making Bella clap happily.

"Here!" Bella levitates a present at me, and I surprise them by passing it to Draco and standing and depositing Thule in Bellas lap.

"I could have held the welp, Potter." Draco says a little dryly as he thrusts the present back at me.

"Ah, yes, I remember the one time you've held my child." I snap back sarcastically. I wince slightly at the slip up, calling Thule my child, but ignore it without looking at anyone else. I'd unconsciously started thinking of Thule like that since Fenrir had called him my cub.

"Whose it from?" I ask after inspecting the gift and not seeing a name on it.

"Rodolphus and I!" Bella exclaims, one arm around Thule and the other clutching at her husband. I give them a brief smile, and open the slender package. It's a photo album, I quickly realize, and I frown as I open to a random spot and it's blank. I go back to the cover and realize the silver cover had barely there engravings. I squint, even with my glasses, and tilt the book until I can read it.

 _Take my little hand, hold it as I grow._

 _Teach me of this world, and all there is to know._

 _Keep me in your thoughts, and in your trusting care._

 _Guide me in my life, and teach me how to share._

 _I know that I am blessed, You're my gift from the above,_

 _Protector here on earth, Godfather you are loved._

"Godfather?" I mutter to myself, awed, as I open the cover. The first page is two pictures, a waving Bellatrix and Rodolphus in a hospital like room, and a woman waving just as happily. But the second picture is what makes it click. It was a grainy, black and white photo. Though this one is moving, I have seen one before, when I was cleaning out photo albums from the Dursleys attic. It was an ultrasound photo.

"Godfather?" I ask a little louder, looking up. Bella is beaming, and Rudophulus looks amused at me.

"Well, The surrogates only about two weeks along according to the mediwizard, but we knew it would be you, since you was the one to suggest it. We thought-" she's cut off because I've gotten up, again, and crossed the room to hug her tightly. Thule makes a disgruntled noise at being squished and I pull back to see her eyes suspiciously wet. I suppose mine are, too.

"Is that a yes Harry?" Rodolphus asks in amusement, and I nod vigorously, getting laughs around the room. Once the room has calmed down, I open a gift from Draco, which was a set of wand holsters, one for the hip, one for the thigh, another for the ankle and one for the wrist. He'd been extremely pleased when I'd immediately strapped the one around my wrist and placed my wand in it so it could infuse with my magic. Lucius had gotten me a rather large box, but when I opened it I realize it was actually a writing desk, along with legal pads with the Potter and Black seals with a blank space in the middle. Then there was regular paper, wax, quills, ink, and even a light and chair. At a curious look at him he just grins.

"A lord of two houses, and a Heir to another, deserves a space for all his legal activities." he says rather vaguely. I scowl at the added title, and after a brief thought, look at Tom, whose smirking.

"You're very smart, Harry." he says after a moment of time.

"You want me as a heir?" I ask in surprise.

"My gift to you is the Slytherin Heir ring, if you accept it. I'll have to adopt you, but since you are of legal age tomorrow I figured we would do it then, and it will be in mostly name though you may take on some slytherin attributes, like higher cheekbones or less… abysmal hair. " I huff at the jab at my hair, and bite my lip at the thought.

"You'd still be a Potter, _Parva Lupus._ " Fenrir's voice makes me glance at him, before I nod just slightly.

"Okay. I don't expect Tom to die anytime soon anyway." I agree. He smirks, and levitates a small box hidden under the still alarming pile of gifts to me. I take it out, and I'm surprised at the elegance of the band. It was a snake, no doubt about that, but it was holding an emerald in its mouth and had several onyx gems embedded in the squiggling body. It went in a wavy circle and ended with the tail tucked behind the emerald. I slide it onto my left thumb, and it settles immediately.

"Most of these are from Bill and Charlie and the twins, a few of these are from Neville and two more boys that are in your class, Dean and Seamus? There's two from a girl names Luna, want to explain that?" Bella holds up the two gifts in bright purple I laugh.

"Luna? Seamus' girlfriend. A seer, I think. Or at least a descendant of one. Shes'... interesting, but definitely not my type." I tell her for her teasing. She laughs at that, and I ignore the looks that both Tom and Lucius send me, obviously planning something.

"You can open those in your room, if you'd like." Narcissa says at the brief pause.

"No, it's fine. I don't mind. I just… I'm used to seeing a few Weasley care packages, and these horribly wrapped gifts, and at least one book. It's fine." I tell her, taking the next gift she levitates to me. I get an egyptian code cracking book from Fleur, that I didn't understand until I opened Bills gift and found an extremely old looking box. His note simply said it's been in a vault for almost two hundred years at Gringotts and was auctioned off. No one wanted it, but he bought the puzzle box for me, and if I found anything interesting I needed to let him know. It was a fairly large box, about as long as my school trunk and about as long, too, though it was a little shorter. Charlie sent me some Dragonhide duelling robes, along with gloves to match and boots, all in a suspiciously familiar black color. When I read his note I'm relieved to see it's from a norwegian Ridgeback that had died of old age on the reservation- something that only happens every ten or so years, because their breeding seasons are so long and they kill each other off or are hunted so easily. Fred and George sent me a few products that they wanted me to try out, but there was an entire package dedicated to snacks that they gave a mauraders oath weren't tampered with. Not many people realized how great of a cook the twins were, but I immediately ate a brownie, knowing exactly how heavenly it would be.

"You put way too much faith in their word." Draco says in a higher tone than normal.

"Have you ever once seen the twins prank me?" I ask back. At his pause, I shrug.

"I'm the only one who has ever bothered to tell them apart. I'm rewarded for that. " I say, eating another brownie before I close the package up. Luna had gotten me a necklace with a rather large swirling shell, some kind of crystallized herb, and another smaller shell. She said it would help when I was frustrated, whatever that meant. She also got me a book that I immediately thumbed through, amazed.

"This is… there's only three of these left!" I exclaim happily, hugging it closer to me. I never told her what I could do, but apparently I didn't have to. Draco eventually pries the book away so everyone can see, and they fall silent.

" _Olde Blood_ , by Merlin himself." Draco says breathlessly, a little awed. I take the book back and place it carefully on a table next to the loveseat.

"I was told I would become a blood mage with my necromancy inheritance. I never told her, but she knew anyway apparently." I tell them all. Seamus gets me a broom servicing kit and a book called _The Bachelors Book of Spells_ , which everyone gets a laugh about, and Dean sent me a specialized honeydukes box and, per my request, a recommendation for a shop that I wanted. I had asked for it when I overheard him and Seamus planning who was buying me what. Seamus, having one parent in the wizarding world, had an easier time getting the kit and the book then Dean, who was in the muggle world when he wasn't at Hogwarts. The shop I wanted was completely muggle, however, so he could easily oblige my request.

Neville was a surprise. He'd gotten me a subscription to a duelling magazine, and had also sent me a box with holes in it, stating simply, 'found this in my greenhouse and thought of you.'

"Oh, Neville, you little shit." I exclaim slightly when I open the box to see a small, black cat. It wasn't a kitten, by any means, but it wasn't much bigger than the palm of my hand. Remus and Sirius had told me once how to make the Animagus revealing potion, and he had found it hilarious that mine was a kitten. I dip a hand into the box and pass a ward that has the cat blinking at me sleepily. I scoop it up, and I'm right- if his nose was at the tips of my fingers, the base of his tail would just barely pass my wrist. His tail was as long as his body was, and it wrapped around my wrist as the cat mewled at me pitifully. I call for Gigi and she has the cat some food and water that I settle on the floor with it, where it begins eating immediately.

"Well. Your pile is gone." Bella says as we all either watch Thule, who was valiantly trying to stay awake, or the cat, who was eating.

"And it's nearing 8. I think he should be getting to bed. Will you have one of the elves put these all on my bed?" I ask Tom as I scoop up the finished cat. I settle it near my chest, but it claws its way to my shoulder and wraps the long tail along the back of my neck. I pick up Thule and settle his lazing head on my opposite shoulder. I pause in the doorway.

"Thank you, really. I enjoyed this." I tell them a lot softer than usual. I get large smiles from the girls, and nods from the men, before I leave the room. I settle Thule in his cot, and after a moment hesitation and another sound from the cat, I set them in the cot as well. It curls up and lays down next to Thules head, content to watch the babe sleep. It had taken me a minute to remember that this was a _Greck_ , a supposedly mythical cat that was used to babysit, unless in distress. It could grow up to ten times its own size rapidly and protect the home it has claimed as its own. If not threatened, it was small, and usually just sat in the same room as the youngest person in the house and kept them out of trouble. I sort out the gifts I found on my bed, putting the photo album on display on my nightstand, the puzzle box by my bed, the desk set up in my study area, and the clothing and wand holsters in my wardrobe. It's not until the bed is cleared I'm hit with a thought that kind of hurt. Fenrir hadn't gotten me anything. I hadn't expected him to, really. He'd been my babysitter as well as Thules for almost a week, I wouldn't want to give someone anything after that either.

I read Fleur's book on code breaking for awhile, before I decide I want a bath. I call a house elf, telling her to take Thule and the cot with the _Greck_ in it to Lucius and Narcissa's room. It was passing 11 now, and I didn't want to have to focus through the headache I would get when I got my inheritance sometime early morning and a hungry Thule on top of it. I take the book and run a bath, leaving a robe on the hook before I strip down and sink into the warm water. There was some kind of potion sitting on the edge of the tub that actually relaxed muscles and made me incredibly drowsy that I use and just sit back, getting lost in the neverending hot water and the theories of how to break codes and puzzles in Egypt.

Eventually though, I get a mild headache and decide it must be past midnight. I drain the water and tug the silky robe Tom insisted I have on, belting it as I make my way back to my room to stop dead in the middle of the walk from the bathroom to the bed.

In the four hours since I had seen him, Fenrir had shaved and for the first time since I met him he was clean shaven and not just scruffy. He was also, for the first time I can remember, wearing clothes that looked fresh out of the wash instead of fresh out of the forest, not that I had minded the look. He was sitting in a chair I had previously had books stacked in, which were now back on my bookshelf behind the chair.

"Uh, hi? Did you need something?" I ask curiously. I walk to my bed and drop the book on the nightstand beside my new photo album, glancing at him as he just stays silent, watching me move about my room.

"Oookay. Fenrir, are you alright there?" I ask after a long pause of no response. He blinks, a very deliberate movement, before his head tilts up and his eyes meet mine. The Amber color slightly startles me, but not as much as it would have someone else.

"We need to talk Harry." he says a bit gruffly, but I didn't mind.

"Alright." I agree, motioning for him to follow me into the sitting room/study that was connected to the hallway before my room was. I recline onto the couch there and after a moment he comes through the door and sits across from me, though he's sitting on the edge of his seat and leaning towards me.

"I didn't get you a present today."

"I'm aware."

"I couldn't think of anything to get you, especially as special as what Tom and Bella was planning. I knew what I needed to tell you, today, but I didn't know what to get you for the party." he explains like my dry comment hadn't broken his little tirade. I nod for him to continue, but that seems to be the only thing he wanted to say because it's silent again.

"Right, well, what did you want to tell me, then? I'm getting a headache here and I'm not thinking hard yet." I ask after another long pause. He huffs, wether annoyed or because he found my statement funny I'm not sure.

"You know that I'm a werewolf."

"No, I had thought you was a Grindylow."

"But how much about Werewolves do you know?" again, my sarcastic comment is ignored, which makes me scowl at him. I was trying to lighten the mood he'd brought into my rooms and I would have liked for him to crack a smile at least.

"I know that they are only dangerous on the full moon. I know that wolfsbane poisons them, and that silver hurts them. I know that you can become one only by being bitten, but if you are a werewolf mate you can't be changed by your mate because you are immune to their specific… virus, I suppose. Mates are claimed by marks, usually to the neck, and are recognized first by scent, then by touch, and finally by so called visions, or dreams, all by the werewolf. The werewolf alone will see and feel all of these things, and it is up to them to convince the mate that they are their person. Once accepted, the marking can occur. I know that they are territorial, and a bit primitive, usually reverting to pack mentalities such as the alpha omega dynamic. I also-"

"Harry, did you swallow a dark creature encyclopedia while I wasn't watching?" he asks, and a glance says he's got a smile on his face again. Well, at least he was cracking jokes now.

"You asked."

"I didn't expect you to be so informed."

"I didn't expect the question. You're avoiding mine." I tell him, sitting up from my half lying posture to face him, moving to the edge of my seat as well.

"Are you attracted to me at all, Harry?" he asks, and I'm too shocked to do more then stare at him for a few seconds.

"Fenrir! That's not- you can't- what the hell?" I ask finally. He's smirking now, and I scowl at the look.

"Fuck off. I'm sure you know that I do. You can smell things like that, I know." I mutter when he stays silent.

"I do, but I didn't know if it was subconscious or not."

"Believe me when I say it was always conscious. Now, why?" I push for an answer again.

"Did you know that you smell like oak trees and sugarcane?" he asks, again throwing me for a loop. What the hell does how I smell have to do anything?

Oh. oh oh oh oh _oh_.

A look must have crossed my face, because he nods, just slightly.

"I knew, immediately, but I didn't feel the … draw that we do because you hadn't hit magical maturity. You still haven't, but it won't be long now. I wanted to tell you before I got…" he makes an odd face and I think over what I know about wolves and their mates.

"Possessive." I finally supply to him.

"What a man calls possessive is significantly less than what a wolf finds possessive, Harry. I thought I'd give you a warning. I don't want to… I can't scare you off, it would kill me. I had looked for my mate for a long time before I left my pack, and I'd given up."

"Possessive doesn't scare me. You being an Alpha does."

"An Alpha? What's wrong with being an Alpha!?" he exclaims, bristling at my calm statement. I think for just a moment how I want to word my answer.

"Alphas, while possessive, are also much more physical. Not like, beating their mates, I know that's not possible unless there is something really, really wrong. But like… like when I said I was going to fly blind. You manhandled me, isolated me, and talked down to me until something I said set something off with you and you started trying talking your way around the fact that you were in the wrong. Granted I didn't have to be offended as much as I was, but you also didn't have to be so blunt about telling me no on something I should have had control of." I explain. His face falls at the reminder, and after a moment, he nods just slightly.

"I can see why that would be…"

"Off putting?" I deadpan. My head was steadily getting worse, and I just wanted to know what he wanted.

"So what do you want from me Fenrir?" I ask, locking eyes with him again. The amber was faded now, and the deeper brown color I noticed before was back.

"Anything you're willing to give. I just knew it wasn't fair to you to keep you out of the loop for it." he explains. I lean back and think for a long moment, actually think on the fact that the guy I'd been crushing on seems to see me as the 'one and only' and I wasn't sure if I was okay with that or not. I knew I'd be okay with a quick round in bed or two, but a long term thing….

Then again, if I said yes, I'd no longer have to do favors for Demons. At least after we were bonded anyway.

"You do realize that if we start… seeing eachother, and we aren't bonded when I summon a demon, they are very likely to ask me for sex or a sexual act. It's practically a form of currency with them." I mutter. The growl that leaves him has me opening my eyes again, but he isn't looking at me.

"I don't like that."

"I couldn't tell." I roll my eyes and sit up again to latch my fingers together and lean my elbows on my knees.

"Okay, fine. If I intend to bond within five years with someone, that's an out too. Would a mate claim be enough for that intent?" I ask. He seems to be think about that before he nods slowly.

"A mate claim is enough to get out of a betrothal contract, or, occasionally, a marriage contract."

"Then that would be fine." I muse. After a long silence on my end this time, he shifts and leans forward.

"So what do you want Harry?" he asks. I think only a little longer before I shrug with a small smile.

"Let's start with a dinner, preferably without Thule, and see where that goes." I advise.

The grin I get in reply was worth any hesitation I had about trying this out.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: This chapter fought me tooth and nail to write, and I'm still not all that happy with how it ended up but I felt I needed to give you a chapter. Hopefully, I can get back in the groove for the next chapter, and I can already guarantee it will be longer. I'm equally sorry/not sorry that I left it on a small cliffhanger._

I don't move from my bed for the better part of the next day. I had Gigi make my room pitch black and give me a pain reliever, but other than that I don't move until well after three in the afternoon. When I do, my headache is gone and the amount of information I had assimilated in the process was filed away where it needed to be. I roll onto my back, blinking at how dark it was.

"Gigi," I call the elf, and she pops in much quieter than normal.

"Happy birthday Master Necromancer," she says softly, making me smile.

"Thank you, Gigi. will you get the lights high enough I can see? I've sweated through my sheets and would like a shower. Then I'd like to see Thule."

"Yes, sir. I'll get the lights, change your sheets, and get little master." she pops away as the lights brighten. I adjust for just a minute before I get out of the bed. I'd slept naked, simply because I knew it would ruin my clothes, and I stop at the dresser to get a clean pair of clothes before I get a quick shower. By the time I'm drying off, I can hear Thule expressing his delight in the other room, which makes me grin. I pull on a dark pair of pants, a black undershirt, and a green button-down shirt before I walk into my room, still drying my hair. Narcissa is sitting on the edge of my now clean bed, Thule in the middle being entertained by some kind of flying toy.

"Happy birthday, Harry." Narcissa's soft voice has me smiling at her. Her magic was a lilac color, one that complimented her very well. It wasn't as bright as her husbands, but it stretched out farther than he did. I'd done some reading, and what I found suggested that she didn't practice as much magic as her husband, but she was more powerful in the fields she practiced than he was.

"Thank you, ma'am. I hope he wasn't too much of a bother?" I ask, motioning to the giggling boy as I settle next to her.

"Not at all. He didn't wake up all night, and Lucius wakes up early so he took care of him. In fact, he took a little trip with Lucius, didn't you?" she turns to coo at Thule and that's when I noticed that he wasn't in his normal muggle attire- he had on a little robe that was almost the same color as his hair.

"Where did they go?" I ask curiously, and she shoots me a look I can't read.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even think to ask if you were okay with one of us taking him out of the manor. I assure you, he was safe and-"

"I trust your family with Thule, Narcissa. Don't worry. I was just curious, I know he hasn't visited many places."

"Actually, He went to Diagon."

"Oh? And how did the public react to Lucius walking the streets with a child?" I ask, amused.

"Well enough when he explained to Fortescue that he was babysitting for a friend. He was meeting Lord Nott and a few other lords while Draco and his friends ate at the restaurant. Apparently, Thule got quite a lot of attention from the witches there." She explains. I make a noise of agreement and we watch the playful baby a long moment before she shoots me another look- this time, I see that it's a sly one.

"Did Fenrir talk to you?"

"Yes." I decide on simply. She makes an unamused noise.

"Well, I owe Marvolo three gallons then. He insisted it would happen on your birthday, I figured he would chicken out and you would be the one approaching him."

"Narcissa!"

She falls into a fit of giggles that I know she wouldn't let many other people see before she composes herself.

"Fenrir was terrified, Harry. He didn't want to tell you because he thought he would scare you away. But he sees you as his mate, and Thule as his cub, and he was anxious to at least try and get to know you. It's why Marvolo insisted he was the one that helped you while you was blind."

"Of _course_ there was an ulterior motive for that," I mutter, but I can't be too angry at him for it.

"I told him we could start with Dinner," I admit to her after a moment.

"And that's a great place to start. I'd suggest tonight or tomorrow, before the wedding."

"Maybe I can bring him _to_ the wedding." I muse, and at her alarmed look I smirk. I scoop up a happy Thule and make a quick exit.

"Harry!" her voice following me has me laughing.

"What do you want to do Thule? Find Marvolo? Find Lucius? Oooh, maybe I can dump you on Draco!" my excited voice has him giggling at me and I bounce him to keep him laughing as I start down the stairs.

"Is this how you keep fit for quidditch, lugging around a child all day?" Draco's voice has me looking up in surprise, and he's waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"I heard you and your father took him on a trip to Diagon, how did that go?"

"Beautiful. He sealed a date for me with Daphne later today." He says, amused.

"Good, you can hold him while I get something to eat." I pass the baby over to a sputtering Draco and make my way to the kitchen with him following me.

"You look better, Harry, where's Thule? I remember Gigi interrupting my wife and I's tea to demand your child." Lucius' voice at the small breakfast nook in the kitchen has me sending a smile his way.

"I heard you took said child on a trip today. Did he behave?"

"He was a gem. Much better behaved than Draco was at that age."

"I resent that," Draco mutters as he enters the kitchen with Thule tugging on his hair.

"Potter, take your child. He's a menace to a well-combed hairstyle." He demands. Lucius lets out a sigh, putting down his cup, and holds out his hands for the child who happily reaches for him.

"I'm eating, don't force me to hold my child at the same time," I complain, all the while preparing some sandwiches and looking around to start cooking some chips to eat with it.

"I'll take him to the dining room. Draco, come with me, I'm sure your mother will want to finish her tea." Lucius leaves when I make a sound of confirmation, but I don't realize why until someone touches my shoulder. I jump, spinning to face whoever was touching me, to see a surprised Fenrir.

"Did you sleep well? Is your head better?" he asks, dropping his hand.

"Yes, my head is better. I slept alright until about 8 this morning. I was finally able to move around at 3. I'm making chips, you want some?" I ask, going back to my work.

"Sure, I can always eat something." he agrees easily, settling down to lean against a counter near me, but out of the way.

"Hmmm. I'll have to talk to Marvolo, maybe I can cook for everyone soon." I muse, half to myself. We're in a comfortable silence before he clears his throat.

"Marvolo isn't in the best mood today."

"Why not?"

"Your Hogwarts letter arrived today. He doesn't know how he's going to be able to let you go to the school and still protect you."

"It's not like Dumbledore is in charge anymore. Just have Lucius put in someone who's in the know to be headmaster or mistress. And besides, Hogwarts is the final say on the leader of Hogwarts, and I doubt she'd let anyone who would hurt me in. She has been permitting me to perform the necromancer rituals since my first year." I point out to him. He makes a grunting sound that I take as agreement and I focus completely on cooking. Soon enough, they were finished and I was dishing him up a plate of sandwiches and chips along with mine. We take a seat at the breakfast nook that Lucius had abandoned before he catches my attention again.

"I was wondering when you wanted to have that Dinner." he begins carefully. I give him an amused look.

"Well. I'm going to go see Bill and Fleur today, probably after I get done eating so I can get back in a timely manner for dinner. You could plan something and we can go tonight, or you can take me to lunch tomorrow before I go to Bill's stag party." I suggest. He seems to think about it for a long moment, and then seems to nod to himself.

"You wouldn't like it if I took you to an overly expensive place, and I can't just waltz around the area just yet, so how about I take you to Eden?"

"Where?" I ask, surprised. He surely didn't mean the real Eden? He sees my look and laughs once at me.

"It's a wizarding garden. Kind of like a huge…. Greenhouse, except it's about as big as this manor. There are several places that you can picnic there. We could pack a lunch tomorrow, and spend the day there. Thule or no Thule, I'm sure you'd enjoy it. You can even bring your sketchbook." he says a little slyly, and I feel my fingers twitch just thinking about it. This makes him smirk and I roll my eyes good-naturedly.

"Alright, deal. I'll be here, ready to go, at 11. Is it warm there?"

"Sometimes. Depending on what season we decide to settle in. what are you wanting to draw?" he asks instead of answering. I think about the answer for a moment.

"Autumn."

"Then bring a cape, you can always ditch it if you're too warm and can charm it now if you're too cold." he decides.

"Sounds good. Does it cost to get in?" I ask curiously.

"Uh-huh, you're not allowed to ask questions like that. What kind of date would it be if I told you how much I did or didn't spend?" he teases, and our conversations dissolve into good-natured banter about who should pay for what and how much a decent date should cost. Finally, when we were both finished, I collect our plates and put them near the sink as an elf pops in and gives me a glare before shooing me away.

"Fine, fine. I'm going to go track down Thule again and take him to visit Bill and Fleur." I tell Fenrir as I walk out of the room, him behind me.

"I'll get ahold of Marvolo and let him know you'll be indisposed most of tomorrow, and what you said about Hogwarts," he says in way of agreement. He branches off at the staircase and I call Gigi.

"Go get a bag ready for Thule, please. Food, diapers, a blanket, toys, a changing pad. I'll be gone for several hours most likely, so if you could make sure anything he might need is in there, I'd appreciate it. Also, bring my black robes" I tell her, she takes off again immediately as I head for the dining room. When I can't find them there, I head for the family room Narcissa likes. I find her and Bella, but again, no Thule.

"Alright, who ran away with the baby," I complain.

"Lucius took him to his office dear. He didn't think you'd want him underfoot while you run your errands." Narcissa explains, motioning to the floo powder.

"Does Thule do okay in the floo?"

"Yes, amazingly well. Just make sure his head is tucked into your robes so that he doesn't inhale any ash. Most children are the same way." she admits. I nod and wait for Gigi to give me Thule's bag and I can get my robes on before I floo to the Malfoy Manor, into Lucius' office. He looks up, clearly surprised, and gives me a confused look.

"I have a meeting with Bill and his soon to be wife. I was wanting to bring Thule along." I say, glancing at the baby propped up in a baby pin I recognize as one Narcissa bought him.

"By all means. I knew that you were wanting to run errands today I didn't know if you'd want to be burdened with a child as well. Most 17-year-olds wouldn't want a child on their hip all day." he explains.

"I enjoy my time with Thule. We have a lot of fun, making fun of Marvolo and Draco." I say, grinning at the oblivious child who was playing with a stuffed Dragon.

"Well, Then don't let me stop you from what you want to do. Have fun," he tells me before going back to the work he had been doing. I pick up Thule, adjusting him on my hip. I pull my robes over him to his utter delight. He snuggles close to my chest, mumbling happily as I floo to Shell Cottage.

"Harry!" an excited squeal is all I have in warning to throw an arm out, catching the blond little witch that threw herself into me on the other side of Thule.

"Gabrielle! Hello. I didn't know that you were going to be in early."

"I'm staying with Bill and Fleur for a few weeks this summer. How has your summer been?" she asks. Before I can answer Thules head pops out and he gives her a gummy, slobbery smile while giggling.

"Oh! Whose this?" Bills voice makes me look up at his surprise.

"This is Thule, he's a magical child. I'm watching him for a few weeks until I can get a family to adopt him." I tell him. That thought though makes it feel like I've been punched in the gut. I ignore that as Thule is snatched from me and Gabrielle started cooing at him, much like Bellatrix would.

"He's cute. But what do I know, the only babies I've ever seen have had red hair." he teases, his eyes still on the baby that his sister-in-law is holding.

"Funny. You said Fleur wanted to talk to me?" I ask, getting down to why I was there. At his nod, I hold my hands out to Thule and he reaches back before I can ask for him.

"Gabrielle. Harry and Fleur are going to be having a conversation. Do you want to go for a walk with me or stay out in the garden?" Bill asks. I always liked that about Bill- he didn't give you excuses. Gabrielle knew that she wasn't to hear our conversation and he was giving her two options to get herself out of the house. She groans loudly but leaves the room.

"That doesn't look like it bids well for me."

"I feel like what she told me and what she wants to discuss shouldn't be said around delicate ears. I should also say up front we've already decided to back you on this, so don't think that we are judging you or going to turn you into Amelia," he says, setting me on edge. I was suddenly very aware that I shouldn't have brought Thule around with me.


	10. Chapter 10

I set Thule on my knee, the child being strangely quiet. I had a feeling that this was more Mesphida then it was Thule right now. I didn't complain, it meant that I could focus on the Veela and half-werewolf in front of me. I knew that Bill had been attacked by Fenrir, though neither of them had as yet told me why. They were both sitting across from me in the kitchen of their little cottage, and I was surprised at how calmly Fleur was making tea.

"Harry," she begins, her accent barely there. When I don't answer, she sets the cup down in front of me before leaning back.

"I'm going to admit something that I've already told Bill. It is… embarrassing, for both of us, but I'm sure once I explain the situation, you will understand why I asked to talk to. Especially now that you've… denounced Dumbledore the way you have."

She takes a deep breath while Bill sips his tea quietly. I glance in his direction and he's smirking at me like he's finding this whole situation funny. That eases my worries somewhat, but not completely.

"So, the year of the Triwizard tournament, I was stuck on the second task. I wasn't versed in magical creatures, but one of my friends told me to see if it was a merlanguage. I ask the headmaster for permission to use a bath, and the night I go to use it, someone else is already there."

"You didn't hear me come in because you were under the water, but I still saw you. I hid in a stall because you came up and started to leave, but…" she trails off and her face is a deep red. After a long pause, I realize what she's trying to say.

"You saw my mark." I breathe out.

"I did. I didn't realize what it was, at first, but I started researching it. I asked Bill, and he only told me once I explained to him what happened. You're a second Tier Necromancer, Harry?" She poses the last one as a question and I sigh.

"I'm a sixth tier now," I admit. She gaps a moment before clearing her throat. That had gotten Bills attention though, he was no longer smirking.

"Harry…" Bill starts out.

"I'm a descendant of Merlin, though that wasn't what made me do it, to begin with. I'm also a blood mage, since you know about the necromancy."

"That's why you needed a truce ward for Voldemort." Bill breathes out. At the startled noise from Fleur, it's obvious that she hadn't been aware of that part of the story.

"You what!?"

"Relax. Tom isn't half as bad as the light makes him. A bit of an ass with a quirky sense of humor, but we get along. I've been living with him since the day Bill set the ward."

"And you didn't tell me!" Fleur rounds on her wide-eyed fiance now, and he winces.

"Part of the rules for a truce ward is the person can't discuss them without the members who asked for the wards present. I couldn't tell you." he tries to explain to her, but she was already facing me again.

"It's because you're a necromancer. Britain would hang you right now if they knew you were practicing dark magic." she murmurs to herself. After a moment of silence, she nods at something in her head and fixes me with a surprisingly determined look.

"THe french wouldn't have a problem. We've always been open to light and dark factors. My father is the neutral representative in the government, but I could talk to him and get him to back you… and your truce members, if they are as… different as you say they are."

"I could see if Tom would be amicable to sending you a copy of the truce after you get back from the wedding. Speaking of, he has some ward work that he wants you to do after you get back from your honeymoon."

"Why me specifically?" he asks slowly, and I grin.

"Because I like you. He gave me his heir ring for my birthday. I'm sure we will do the ritual for the adoption once I get home."

The stunned silence I got in response to that was well worth the reprimand I got from tom that night after I got home and discussed the day with him.

"Thule, what is your deal?" I grumble as I roll over to look at the squealing baby. The sun was just peaking through my window so I could see the greck was there, tail swinging back and forth lazily as he lays on the railing to the crib. I realize it was that little shits fault Thule was awake as I see the tail swipe across Thules nose, making the child giggle again.

"Why did you feel the need to wake him up?" I grouch as I come over to the bed and scoop up the giggling child. I get a dull look before the cat jumps off the rail and pads over to the bag I keep Thules diapers in. I realize with a groan that he did feel like he had a wet diaper. I grab his changing bag and head for the bathroom. Kicking the door open, I set the bag down, summon my wand, and start setting charms across the tub. They were charms that Narcissa had taught me, that prevented his head from slipping under the water, water getting out of the bathtub, the water from being too hot and, for awhile, from it getting too cold either. I also summoned a small toy dragon and a bag of rubber, floating shapes that he could play with as well. A flick of my wrist and the water starts and I strip him down, tossing the diaper. I roll up the sleeves of my sleeping shirt and begin the grueling task of washing the child.

It wasn't that Thule hated the bath. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He loved the bath. He may not be able to get water out of the tub, but I was always drenched by the time he was done. He was a ball of giggles, wiggling arms and happy squeals as I tried to make sure he was properly washed.

I was in the middle of wrestling the child to get the shampoo out of his hair when I hear my bedroom door being knocked on.

"Come in!" I call out, holding the slippery child's head tilted back so he wouldn't get soap in his eyes. He squeals, trying to nuzzle into my hand and tossing water everywhere.

"He's definitely going to love learning how to swim." Fenrir's amused voice has me glancing back to see him leaning in the doorway. His hair was pulled back from his face, and he was watching Thule splash around with the toy dragon.

"Yeah, well, I can't say I would. Especially after this." I motion to my soaked top as I turn back to the child.

"You don't know how to swim?"

"Not without the effects of gillyweed. I've only been once, to the black lake, during the Triwizard tournament. Wasn't my fondest moment." I admit. He hums in response but is silent as Thule and I finish his bath. When I have the child wrapped in a towel, I turn to find him reaching for the babe.

"Did you want him to come with us?" he asks as he begins to dry the child off.

"Hmmm. No. He's around most of the time, one day without him around could be nice." I muse, tossling the wet hair on Thules head. He starts gumming on the edge of the towel, so I turn for his changing bag.

"Here, I'll get him ready, you get a shower," Fenrir says before I can take him. I blink in shock for a second, but I quickly agree, shuffling back into the bedroom so that I can pick out what I want to wear.

"Is it strictly wizarding wear where we're going?" I call out. His voice is over by my bed when he answers, startling me.

"No, it's owned by a family that is third or fourth generation now but started as a muggle born and a half-blood. They are usually seen in muggle clothing when working in the areas," he says absently. I nod, turning to the wardrobe again. I hadn't worn muggle clothing since I left Surrey, But I didn't feel like wearing a robe. But…

"What are you wearing?" I ask, turning again to look at him. He doesn't look away from dressing Thule as he makes a motion to himself.

"Me? My normal stuff probably. A button down and a pair of jeans, something I don't mind getting dirty if we're going to picnic." he muses. Currently, he was in a grey tee shirt that looked new and a clean pair of jeans. I turn back to the wardrobe and pull down a black teeshirt and a hooded sweatshirt. After a brief hesitation, I take out a pair of black washed out jeans, too. I'd gone muggle shopping a year ago, and this would be my first time properly wearing any of it in public.

"I'll be out in a bit," I call over my shoulder.

"We'll be down at the table for breakfast," he calls back.

By the time I finish my shower and head to the breakfast table, I'm starving. When I get there I see Tom, Narcissa, Lucius, Rodolphus, and Fenrir and Thule at the table. I settle down next to my now legal father since Tom and I had done the ritual last night. Besides making it so that Narcissa had to change my prescription on my glasses- I could now see things within my immediate reach without my glasses, but anything further than my outstretched hand was still a blur- and my eyes getting a weird sheen that made my iris' look like they were glowing, nothing had changed.

"Did you sleep well, Harry?"

"Yeah, I did, until the greck woke Thule up and me as well.

"You're going to have to name the animal, dear, you can't keep calling it 'the greck'. " Narcissa chimes in from down the table. We were all spread out, so I was sitting next to Tom at the head of the table, there was a free seat beside me and a free seat across from me before it was Fenrir and a high chair for Thule, and across from him Rudolphus, and Narcissa. Lucius was at the end, away from everyone. Tom hand casually threw a leg out to the chair that was empty across from me, and I had an inkling of why, though I wasn't about to deprive him the right to annoy Fenrir.

"Right now I'd end up calling it something like-"

"Don't cuss in front of the baby love." Bella's tired voice from behind me has me making a face. She takes the seat between me and her husband, but not before dropping a tired kiss to each of our cheeks.

"Morning Bellatrix," I say in response, and she gives me a warning look.

"FINE. It's a male. We can name him Richard." I huff. At the odd looks, I grin over my cup of tea.

"That way I can call him dick and not get yelled at."

Eventually, after a lecture on what was and was not good names for a pet, and what can and can't be said around a child, Narcissa names the menace Perseus, give me a look that asked me to argue with her so she could scowled me even more.

"You're lucky I haven't cussed in front of him more you know. When I'm not at my aunt and uncles house, I like to express my self colorfully." I mutter, and I hear Tom snort.

"Not befitting of a young lord, Harry." Dracos smug tone has me glaring as he enters the room properly.

"And what are you wearing?" he exclaims.

"Muggle clothing."

" I didn't know you owned muggle clothing."

"I brought it with me."

"Okay… and why are you wearing it now?"

"We're going to Eden this afternoon before Harry leaves for the stag party. Speaking of, Bella, would you be okay watching Thule while we do so?" Fenrir speaks up from his seat and gets an eager nod in response. All eyes fall on the two of us, obviously wanting us to say something, but I focus on my third cup of tea and he seems content to let them stew as he cleans Thule.

"When are you leaving?" Bella asks after a few moments of the silence.

"We planned on leaving around eleven." I chime in helpfully.

"When will you be back?"

This time I shrug. " Depends on when we get bored with it, I guess. I have to be ready to take the portkey by five though." I say this to Fenrir, who nods to show he'd heard me.

"Fenrir, if I could take up some of your time before then?" Lucius speaks up for the first time since I've sat at the table. Fenrir agrees easily enough and rounds the table to give me a contented Thule. He murmurs softly as he settles on my chest, likely to fall asleep again. I roll my eyes at that, but let him settle so he was good for Bella when he went to her in a few hours.

The time passed quickly, with Bella trailing me to my rooms to coo at Thule and the greck on his little play mat. I dig into my school trunk to find my bag before I pack my art book and my pencils. If I could sketch out everything now, I could use whatever medium I wanted to finish it. And that would mean that I wasn't focused on one sketch but could do several while we were there. At that point, I had ten minutes to head down to the foyer, so I kiss Thules head, getting a squeal, and make sure Bella knows where everything is. When I make it down I see Lucius talking with Fenrir, and I make enough noise they know I'm coming so that I don't seem like I'm listening to their conversation. Obviously, it was something that Lucius was worried about, and Fenrir looked annoyed at him.

Fenrir had on a dark blue, plaid, button down with the sleeves pushed up past his elbows and the top half unbuttoned to show the grey teeshirt I'd seen earlier today. He had on a pair of dragon hide boots, compared to him usually walking around barefoot.

"Ready?" I ask when I'm close enough. Fenrir turns with a relieved look and holds a hand out.

"Since you're going to be with me, they have agreed to be… discreet. You shouldn't need a glamour, and the autumn area should be closed to anyone that would be… adverse, to seeing me." Fenrir explains, completely ignoring Lucius, who huffs and stalks away.

"Good to know."

"Do you have everything?" he asks next, glancing at the bag I have slung over my shoulder.

"Yeah, I do. I've got the room in here if you want to put the basket in here, too." I add, slipping the bag down my shoulder. In one swift movement, he'd taken the bag, dropped something inside of it, and shouldered it himself.

"Hey!"

"Common. I know you drop nearly every time you apparate with someone," he says calmly, though his eyes were bright with flicks of amber and he barely suppressed a smirk.

"Who says I'm apparating with you? I like my way of traveling much better." I counter, eyeing my bag. I was weighing the chances of me snatching it and running, but he seems to realize what I'm plotting because he laughs and turns so that his body is between me and my bag.

"Relax Harry. If you really want us to walk there, you can take us. But I'm still taking the bag." he tells me, holding out his free arm calmly. I scowl but grab onto him and with a flick of my wand the lights dim in the foyer so that I can walk into a shadow. I think about the autumn section of Eden- not the vaguest notion I've walked to, but definitely one to worry about- and when I take another step I'm bathed in sunshine.


	11. Chapter 11

"Are you drawing me?" Fenrir's surprised tone makes me glance up at him again. He'd been leaning against a bare oak tree while I'd been sitting near where his crossed legs were on our blanket. He'd had them stretched out, crossed at the ankles since we settled down here. The tree was a white color, outlining his tan skin and dark hair instead of blending in like it would have with most other trees. We'd been talking as I sat angled away from him, towards a stream I'd been sketching. Once I finished that though, I flipped the page and began drawing him out of the corner of my eye.

We'd had a pleasant time so far, eating and drinking as we wanted, and talking about meaningless things, along with not so meaningless things- he'd asked about my friends, or lack of, and my family, or what was left of it. I'd asked about the pack he had left, and the cubs he'd taken care of.

I turn to face him fully, knowing my face was probably bright red.

"I didn't ask, did I. I'm so used to drawing someone without them knowing so I never ask permission…" I trail off, drumming the blunted end of my pencil on the paper as he grins.

"You don't have to ask, though I'd like to see what you've drawn." he counters. I hesitate for a moment before relenting and going to hand the binder over.

"Nuh uh, come here." He sits up as he says this, moving so that it was obvious that I was supposed to come sit next to him. I slide over and prop the binder half on my lap and a half on his so that we could both see it.

"You're very talented." He murmurs, tracing the line of the tree with his fingers briefly before pulling away.

"Thank you."

"Do you like portraits?"

"I'm better at portraits than I am anything else. It's what I have the most practice drawing. That's why I didn't say no to bringing my binder here so that I could practice with things besides people. I also need to start using mediums besides charcoal and pencil." I muse. I flip the page back for him to see the sketch I was doing before him, and he takes that as the permission to start flipping idly through the rest of it. I answer his questions as best as I can- yes, they're magically enhanced to move, yes, most of them start as pencil, no, I've never taken classes, That's Blaise, a Slytherin acquaintance I have. He helps with my charms class and I help him with Defense. No, I didn't realize how many of Thule I'd drawn.

"This one is really good," he says, pausing on one of the forbidden forest from the Gryffindor tower.

"It's from the Gryffindor rooms. Er, the fourth year boys window, I think. It was late and the moon gave me enough light to draw until I was tired."

"I think I like it because you got the whole moon in there." he muses, tracing a finger over it. I make a humming noise in agreement and he glances up.

"We should go."

"Huh?"

"You have an hour to get ready for the portkey to activate for the stag party," he tells me, closing the binder and sliding it into my lap. I cast a tempus to see he was right and start cursing. I pack my bag while he packs up the picnic food and the blanket. I seem to surprise him when I move closer and loop my arm in his.

"Thank you."

"For?" he asks, leading us to where there was an area roped off. He wanted to apparate, claiming that my shadow walking felt disgusting on his skin.

"For today. It was relaxing. I didn't realize how stressed I was getting until you suggested a day out. I had fun."

"We didn't do anything, Harry," he says in an amused tone.

"Exactly!" I grin as I turn towards him in the ringed off circle. And I'm a little shocked to see his face relax completely and smile back. His eyes crinkle at the sides, and his teeth stand out against his tan skin as he tucks his chin so he can see me better. Even with my growth spurt from Kesl. the hand holding the basket lifts until the back of his knuckles touches near my jawline.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. We can come back any time you'd like. Maybe trying a different season next time?" he suggests, moving his hand away and his wand falling into it from his holster.

"I'd like that. Not next time we go out somewhere though. I want to pick where our next date is." I tell him, no longer looking at his face. I focus on his wand hand instead, which was stilled like the rest of him. Because this wasn't technically supposed to be a date. I hadn't agreed to that. I said I'd get to know him, but not that I would date him, or anything of the romantic sort.

But all of today, I'd wanted to settle in beside him and lean against him and the tree. I wanted him to put an arm around me when I did finally settle down next to him. I wanted to make him smile like he had just smiled, and I wanted to make him laugh like he does at Thule, or when he thinks I'm being childish. He listens to me and takes my opinion seriously, and I haven't ever had that.

And this morning, with Thule, the entire domestic scene had hit me hard while I was in the shower and I realized that I really, really wanted that. A man who could be mine, and my child's, and adore us both, and want us to be happy. Someone that could handle my sarcasm and temper, who could give as good as it got in an argument and keep me level headed when it was between me and someone else.

And someone had snuck in when I wasn't looking and became that person already. I'd been hesitant before because I hadn't known Fenrir long. But I did know him. I knew that he hated oranges, and rarely drank anything that wasn't water or tea. I knew that he thought sarcasm was the best humor, and that a family was a wizards biggest achievement. I knew that he had left his pack because they had fallen from that line of thinking. I knew that he was amazing with Thule, and I knew that he was smart even though he kept it quiet most of the time. He had a passion for reading that rivaled Hermione, and he had an equal passion for the outdoors that I hadn't yet found in anyone else. He was strong and confident and vicious when someone he loved was attacked, and that was almost everything I could ask for.

"I suppose that's fair." he finally says a lot softer than he normally talks, and tucks his arm closer to himself so that I step even closer. He lifts his wand in warning and I get sucked into a tiny tube, before being deposited at Toms foyer with Fenrir catching me as my knees give out.

"I hate apparition, you hate shadow traveling, let's agree to portkey everywhere from now on." I groan, settling against the wall. He makes an amused sound as he lets my arm go reluctantly.

"Harry, Fenrir. I was wondering when you were getting back." Tom's voice behind Fenrir has us both looking his way.

"I'm headed up to go to the stag party. I will probably be staying at Grimmauld place." I tell them. That wasn't something I was looking forward to. I'd been receiving letters from Remus, who was still residing there. He wanted to know if he still could, as he was technically overstepping my call because he hasn't talked to me about it, just going off of my godfather's word.

It's not like I minded. I'm just worried about him being against everything I've done, which is silly. He sees me as part of his pack. I've talked to, written to, and confided in Remus more than I did anyone, even Ron, and Hermione, besides the necromancy thing. By all rights, I was more upset that Remus was hurt during the battle of ministry than I was that Sirius had died. His last letter was a warning- if I didn't tell him what the hell was going on, I was going to be getting a visit from him no matter where I was, and I wasn't going to like it. I took that threat with a grain of salt- he's the one in my fourth year that had sat me down and taken me to task for trying to outfly a dragon. It had been terrifying.

"Speaking of. I need a scent blocker on me so my uncle doesn't freak out when he smells you all on me." I remind Tom. Fenrir makes a low, grumbly sound and actually takes a step towards me again when Toms hand shoots out and catches his arm.

"Yes, Remus is one of your turned children, isn't he? And Harry, wasn't the pack with your father?" Tom asks quickly, stilling Fenrir.

"Yeah. he sees me as a cub from his pack. I see him as my godfather, or uncle, more than Sirius was. He taught me the Patronus." I agree at Toms frantic look. Fenrir rocks back and takes a deep breath before he shoots a look at Tom.

"Harry had jokingly said that he could take you with him to the wedding," Tom says carefully. I'm surprised at this random topic, because one, he wasn't there, and two, it had nothing to do with whatever reaction Fenrir was having.

"Not as myself. And his wolf would smell polyjuice," he answers, confusing me more. What were they on about?

"Fenrir, I need to go get ready." I cut in hesitantly.

"Go get ready, then. I'll meet you up there with Thule in a little while." he agrees, moving out of my way of the staircase. I skirt around the two of them, still not sure what they were plotting though it seemed to involve sneaking Fenrir with me tomorrow. But why was my concern.

I showered quickly, changing into the dress pants and navy colored button down I had laid out, with a darker blue/black combination robe thrown over it. Bill had insisted we stay at Grimmauld place once I suggested it being used as a base of operations- or, a place we could all portkey or apparate to once drunk- so we weren't going anywhere, but I still had to make a trip to Diagon after the portkey to pick up the alcohol, and I know that reporters are always skulking around to get a photo of me. By the time I'm straightening up from tying my shoes, Fenrir is coming in with Bella behind him and Thule in his arms. Bella seems to be pouting, and I grin slightly as I take Thule from Fenrir. The babe lights up and squeals, babbling at me.

"Bella, what's with the face?" I ask as I move to the dresser and using the mirror to magic my hair into a short tail. That way it was out of my face.

"Fenrir took Thule! I was going to watch him tonight!"

"The plan was for Fenrir to do it, Bella, you know that." I point out as I bounce him on my hip so he wouldn't slide down.

"I know, but I figured with it being so close to your portkey, he'd decided not to…" She trails off and makes a face again and I grin at her.

"You've just got baby fever." I tease.

"Why are you taking a portkey, if you can shadow walk there?" Fenrir pipes up from his spiraled position in my desk chair. I give him a look for that- he was a big man, and it was a tiny chair. It looked like it was going to break.

"I was given it before I could walk, you know that. And, you also know, that Ron may or may not be there depending on his behavior, as well as Charlie. And while I do get along with the tamer, I don't know where he stands with Necromancy and I know Ron would have a fit."

"Everything you've said so far about this Ron has been negative. Why do you still want him around?" Fenrir asks offhandedly as he picks up a book from my desk. I see Bella's eyes go wide, and she's bolting out of the room like he'd set it on fire.

"Ron was my first friend, Fenrir. The first person that was vaguely nice to me besides Hagrid that I could remember. I'm not going to let that go until I see for myself what's going on." I manage to get out evenly. Really, it's not like I approve of all of his friends, either! Mcnair was a nasty asshole, who actually enjoyed torturing people when Tom did occasionally call for it. And I'm sure he did it when he wasn't asked to, either. But Fenrir thinks he's hilarious, and while he doesn't do any torturing, he doesn't put an end to it, either.

"You have plenty of friends who accept you for who you are now, though."

"Who, Bill? Fleur? Or maybe the twins. They won't do me any good when I'm in Hogwarts. And at school, all I really have that knows and accepts it is Draco, and most days I think he does that because his father has forced him to." I point out, putting Thule in his crib.

"All the adults that know aren't available once I go back, and anyone I might have told and haven't is now under observation until further notice because they're suddenly singing a different tune to what they were at the beginning of the summer. So no, I don't really have anyone around that would accept that." I tell him as I snap on my wand holster and the watch that Tom had given me after the adoption. It was old, silver in color, with a snake etched onto the cover and an emerald the size of my thumbnail as the button to open it. The chain was overly long because it's meant as a necklace for when a woman claims the house seat and had small emeralds attached to the links periodically. It was a beautiful watch. The name Slytherin was etched onto the outside in parsel as well, meaning only those who received the gift of speaking the language could open it the first time.

"Well. if things don't work out with him, you can come here for the evening. But I'll hope for your sake that you can work things out with him." he finally says as he sets the book back down. I nod at his diplomatic end to the slightly tense conversation and walk over to him as he stands up. He gives me a weary look.

"Tom has convinced me that, if you still want me to, I should go with you tomorrow."

"You'll get in trouble!" I exclaim immediately.

"Not if I'm under a blood glamour with Thule." he points out, leading us out of my bedroom. Bella was sitting in the lounge area, glancing looks at us nervously.

"You'll pose as his father, then?"

"And your plus one. I know you like Lupin, and you trust Bill and Fleur, but I do not," he admits. I frown at that but have to agree to disagree because I knew I wasn't going to change his mind anytime soon.

"I can come and get you two tomorrow around noon. The wedding is at 1, and I'll be up front for most of it but we've already agreed to forgo the wedding table and just have everyone sit where ever they want." I suggest as we descend the stairs.

"Alright. How long do you want to say we've been…" he trails off, making a face, and I realize he doesn't want to say dating.

"Hmmm. How about a month? About as long as I've been staying here. I can say I'm staying with a wizard family, and I met you through them. What would be your name?"

"Fen Raebeck, son of Beck Raebeck, an old geezer that's had at least 17 kids with just as many women. I work as a Potions Maker, which is what I do in my spare time anyway. I work out of my home because of my son, and his mother is dead, dying in childbirth in complications that she inherited from her mother. Shevbe Glartant. Thule's keeping his name."

"And will you be wearing Dress robes?" I tease, turning to face him as we reach the hallway to the foyer that branches with the one towards Tom's study.

"Most likely. I'll see if I can find some to match Thule." he muses, his tone going teasing as well. I laugh at that response.

"Well, you have fun with Tom tonight. I'm going to go get some firewhiskey and whatever else Bill put on my tab at the store in Diagon with Charlie." I tell him, rocking back a moment before I stretch up and kiss his cheek quickly, my own face flaming as I spin and hurry to the foyer before my portkey would take me to Grimmauld where I would be meeting Bill and Charlie.

~My bonus to you all, for your continued patience~ Fenrir~

I'm still slightly stunned when I make it to Toms study. He motions me in with an almost alarmed look and when I fall into the chair opposite his desk, he sits hesitantly.

"Fenrir?"

"I'm going tomorrow. With Thule. As Fen." I tell him, making a face.

"And did you tell him who Fen was?" he asks, leaning onto the desk. He snorts when I instantly scowl at that.

Fen was the name I was given by my father, Beck. I was the third son of the Raebeck name and so I was raised by my mother, who shoved me outside into the woods around her ramshackle, old house most days. It was how I'd been changed by Ryder Greyback, the man who went around biting children to create a pack. My mother had tried to kill me after she found me, and so Ryder had taken me in. I'd despised the man more than my father, but he did teach me a lot. He was killed shortly after my seven-year-old self attacked a small child on a full moon, Remus Lupin. Somehow, all of those stories of Ryder Greyback became the stories of Fenrir Greyback, and I was cast out. Tom was going to fashion a complex glamour around me, masking my scent, and my looks, as that of a biological half-brother he's met. Nothing would change besides I'd shrink and my eyes would turn the baby blue color they had been when I was a child. My face won't be as squared off, like it is now, either.

"No, I suppose I should. I will, eventually. Before he leaves for school."

"In a month," Tom says a little dryly, and I pointedly turn from him to his mantle.

"That wasn't the only thing that had you looking like you'd been imperiused, is it?" he asks after a beat of silence.

"Hmm. no. I didn't have the time to tell you before, but Harry has decided he's choosing where we go on our next- uh, outing."

"He's picking where you go for your date?" he muses, a smirk on his face when I turn back to him.

"Yes. And before he left with the portkey, he kissed my cheek. He fled fairly quickly afterward, He was embarrassed, I think. Something happened while we were at Eden. All we did was talk, and he drew the surroundings and me, but he was…. Much less hesitant than he was when we first discussed us by the end of it. I'm hoping he's seen that even if we haven't been a couple in the literal sense, we've been acting like it since he got Thule." I admit to him.

"Speaking of Thule, did you tell him that you were thinking about adopting the child?"

"No, I haven't discussed it with him. It's all theoretical until the potion is finished."

"But he might think that you're overstepping into his territory. Especially if he plans on doing the same." he points out. I shift uncomfortably at the thought. I hadn't thought about him doing that- he was 17, why would he want to adopt a child- but Tom was right. Harry could get possessive and adopt the child as his own, and I'd be stepping all over him if I petitioned too, because I was older.

"Lucius won the petition for Headmaster, did he tell you?" I ask to get off the topic of Harry while I stand and move for his bookshelf. He makes a positive sound in response.

"He immediately asked if Fen could take the position of Potions Master because he's keeping Severus in defense."

"Why? Severus has a mastery of potions, not defense." Tom asks, confused.

"I asked the same thing. He says that Severus will be able to guide the students in that subject the best, now that he doesn't have to do what Dumbledore tells him to. And if I say no, he's getting Slughorn back." I tell him, pulling down a book with a bird on the spine. When I see it's about animagus', I set it on the corner of his desk. Harry said he mediated most of last year and was trying to reach his Animagus form. He refused to tell me what it was, though I'm assuming it's a feline because of the way he was snickering when he told me about it.

"You'd be able to see Harry. I wonder if they would change the student-teacher rules?" he says, laughing when I send him an annoyed look. I was trying to stay off the topic of Harry for a few minutes.

"Right now, so long as the student is 17 and no favoritism is shown, there's no rule against it. Severus will just have to give his tests if I do it."

"Well. maybe by the time you have to give an answer, Severus will be speaking to Harry. And have that potion published. EIther way, again, it's something you need to discuss with your mate." he stresses, making me glare at the bookcase as I scan the titles. I pick one at random and fall into my chair again.

"And after the potion is administered, Lucius has already said he will petition to have you questioned for your crimes instead of the kill on sight order. If it's him and Greengrass acting as Chief Warlock and Head of Wizengamot then I don't see a problem, and they will sway your sentencing anyway. You could teach as Fenrir then." He muses to himself. I ignore his ramblings the best I can as I settle into translating complex Nordic rune structures for warding buildings. Maybe if I shut up and read, he'd stop talking about all the things I still needed to tell Harry.

 _A/N_

 _This was something I wanted out last week, but I was moving into my apartment and needed to clean up and have some time to settle. I'll begin rewriting the next chapter soon, and the one after, and then we should be caught up to where I had dabbled the first time around._

 _But hey, to those of you in school, it's May! you're almost done with the year, congratulations! I was there last year. You'll make it, I promise._

 _the next chapter should be up within the week if I can keep focused._


	12. Chapter 12

"Harry!"

I'm tackled to the floor and laugh breathlessly as I recognize the greying mop of brown hair I was looking at. I send a thank you to Bella, who had paused me to send a scent canceling charm my way again just as my portkey activated.

"Remus! I can't breathe!" I tease when he doesn't seem intent on letting me go. He sits up with me, moving me to where he could see me properly and still hold onto me. We were spiraled in the parlor room of Grimmauld, but I don't mind. I didn't realize until now just how much I missed Remus- I knew I was ignoring his letters because I didn't know what to say, but to see him so excited to see me touched on how much I had missed our conversations. I get hit with the overwhelming feeling to tell him everything that's happened this summer and bite my tongue sharply to stop myself. Tonight wasn't about me, it was about Bill.

"Where's the Groom and his Best Man?" I ask while he studies me. His eyes narrow just slightly at something before it flashes away.

"Bill and Charlie are upstairs, getting a few of the rooms ready. Percy is on his way, and Ron isn't allowed into Grimmauld tonight. Bills friend, Stephen, is coming in to replace Ron on short notice so that Hermione has someone to walk with."

"Ron? Why? Did he get kicked out of the wedding completely?" I ask, a little confused as he pulls me to my feet.

"You've shot up. And out." Remus says instead of answering, poking at my shoulders like he was going to find a button to snap me to my smaller size.

"Magic." I quip playfully, earning a halfhearted swipe to the back of my head that I dodge as I move closer to the door.

"They're waiting on you I think. I just wanted to see you. I'll be around tonight, and I need to speak to you after the wedding. You told them you were footing the bill for tonight?"

"My foot isn't going anywhere near Bill if I can help it," I call over my shoulder as I duck out of the room. His startled laugh has me smiling again as I enter the hallway and head for the stairs. I had told Bill and Charlie I was paying for everything, so they were probably arguing how to make me let them pay for it. But I hadn't been around for most of the wedding- hell, I hadn't even been to the rehearsal dinner last night- so I was doing this.

"Bill! Charlie!" I call once I've cleared the first landing, knowing I wouldn't wake Sirius' mom.

"Third door on the right!" I hear back, and head that way. I poke my head in to see Bill charming a window clean while Charlie was setting new sheets on an old bed.

"Cozy."

"Harry!" Charlie's wide grin has me smiling automatically in response, and Bill motions me into the room.

"Percy should be here in the next few minutes, do you need to do anything around here before then?" Charlie asks as he turns back to the room.

"No, I'm ready."

"Charlie, can you go see if Remus has any other rooms that he needs us to look at while we're here and sober?" Bill asks as he drops his wand to his side. Charlie agrees pretty readily and soon it's just Bill and I. he throws up a powerful privacy ward and I give him a confused look.

"Fleur and I want you to do a necromancy blessing before the wedding tomorrow," he asks me hesitantly. I raise an eyebrow at that, and he flushes. It was against every code of law involving a necromancer to even ask for a ritual. They have to be willingly given and asking for one is taboo, and can get you killed if they are feeling irritated.

"Want to run that by me again?"

"Fleur and I would ask that the Necromancer Master…" he trails off, and I let him hang for a moment before I smirk at him.

"Anima Mea Umbra." I supply.

"Fleur and I would ask that the Necromancer Master Anima Mea Umbra, bless our union before the actual ceremony tomorrow," he asks more formally, and I shrug once he ends.

"Sure. what kind of blessing do you want?" I ask as relief floods his posture. He immediately tenses again however and shoots me a terrified look.

"There's more than one? Fleur just suggested it because her great great grandmother had a friend bless her wedding, and she had seven kids and tripled the family wealth. She was wanting one that blessed our kids, but she assumed it was just a blanket blessing…" he trails off and I think a moment.

"I can do a child's blessing. The wealth blessing has to have the one that is going to be the family head currently being a lord, so that's out for you two. Do you want protection for the children or just blessings of easy carrying?"

"Protection. I don't think we will have problems with, uh…" his face is as red as his hair and I nod again.

"Right. Okay. and do you want a blessing on your union itself? Those are a lot…. Trickier. They usually require a sacrifice of some kind from the couple. Not one that bad!" I exclaim at his even more alarmed look.

"Well when a necromancer says sacrifice I feel the world should be a little scared!" he defends himself, and I roll my eyes.

"A veela cutting her hair at least an inch and a curse-breakers first warding stone should suffice. It would grant you relative happiness, so long as you two truly love each other, and a possibility to make a soulbond if you're truly committed to each other." I explain to him patiently. I was done teasing him now because this really was serious business.

"Let me talk to Fleur really quickly, I'll be back in five or less okay?" he finally asks, and I agree that it's something he should go over with his wife. We head downstairs and Bill makes an excuse to leave for his home quickly. I settle next to Remus on a sofa while Percy and Charlie chatter across the room after a happy wave from Percy.

"You're distracted, Harry." Remus muses, reaching over to shift my hair out of my face for me. I huff at that.

"I am," I admit grudgingly. Between BIll springing a ritual on me and Fenrir's revelation that he's going to the wedding with Thule tomorrow, I had a lot to think about.

"Anything I can help with?"

"Hmmm. No, I don't think so."

"You've been avoiding my letters," he states matter of factly, and I feel my face flush.

"Some things can't be said in a letter." I murmur back sheepishly. At his 'I can't believe that's your excuse' look at glance towards the Weasley brothers and he nods back.

"Anything you can share in the present company?" he asks instead, and I mull over my decision for less than a second before I nod tentatively.

"I started seeing someone this summer," I admit. He stills, his face going blank before he moves to sit closer.

"Really? Who is it?"

"I'm not sure I should… He'll be at the wedding tomorrow, I'll introduce you to him then. I met him through the family I'd been spending a lot of time with, and we've been seeing a lot of each other for the past month. We went on our first date earlier today." I inform him. He nods in acceptance to this, asking where we went, and I spend the next few minutes telling him all about Eden. When Bill shows up and has a bag with him I nod at his pointed look.

"Ready to go or do you need to drop that off in a bedroom?" I ask, and he dismisses himself to run upstairs and appear a minute later, ready to go.

In Diagon, we make a scene.

Bill had stepped through first, and I had followed with Charlie and then Percy bringing up the rear. The Leaky Cauldron was packed, and the four of us tumbling out of the floo had the entire room silent.

"Is that Potter?" I hear and curse under my breath, ushering them out. Charlie is ribbing me about running from the masses as we all pile into the brewery that I had started a tab with just for Bill. We're ushered in, and there's a mass of chaos and sound around us the brewery explodes into excitement at us entering. It was even more packed than the cauldron was and I want to leave almost immediately.

"Mr. Weasley! We have several selections over here if you'd like to start placing your order." an older gentleman says from along a wide wall. We all make our way to him and soon learn he's the owner, and that he would be the best at pointing out the better brews, and what each of us would like based on our tastes. We spend almost two hours in there and rack up a sizable that I refuse to let them see before we make it back to Grimmauld Place.

"I am going to murder Bill," I mutter to myself as I thumb through another book. It was almost five in the morning, I'd gotten about two hours of sleep, I'd had a hangover from hell, and now I was trying to find the book that I knew I had taken from a third tier demon on wedding rituals. I'd taken a hangover potion that Remus had left me and I was finally feeling as human as possible while still sleep deprived. Two more books in and I finally find what I'm looking for, spinning from my bookcase to leave.

I will admit, the noise I make when I ran into a solid wall of muscle instead, was not in any way a noise a 17-year-old male should have been able to produce.

"Fenrir!" I growl, hitting his chest with the book in my hand. He winces at the contact as he takes a step away, giving me more room.

"Harry, I didn't know you were going to come back. Tom felt someone come in and asked me to check on the room," he tells me, his eyes moving over me as he talks. Before I can retort his eyes narrow.

"You didn't sleep last night."

"Not well, no."

"Then why are you awake so early?" He demands. I see his eyes flicker over to my bed and I almost, almost laugh at the idea that he was going to make me go back to bed like an errant child.

" Bill and Fleur asked for a ritual. I agreed, but it takes awhile to set up and the wedding is at noon, so…" I trail off, shifting the book between my hands impatiently.

"You're doing another ritual?" he perks up at that and I nod at him.

" Not a summoning or anything, but yes, a ritual."

"Don't over exhaust yourself." he finally says, reaching a hand out towards me but aborting the motion before I can figure out what he's trying to do.

"When are you going to get there?" I ask, glancing in the corner where Thules crib is, even though I know it's empty. I had been shocked at how often I'd turned to rock a crib, or pick up a child, and realize that Thule wasn't with me last night. I'd missed the child.

"When do you want us to show up?" he counters, and I glance up at him again to see him grinning. I realize he must have rolled out of bed and came here because his long hair was in disarray and loose, not something I've seen often.

"Ten? I'll be bored out of my mind by then." I finally decide. And, I'd be able to see Thule sooner.

"Alright, I can do that. Now, come on." he reaches his hand out again and this time he latches onto my wrist loosely, obviously making it so that I can pull away if I want to. His fingers lapse completely around and even overlap each other slightly as he tugs gently to lead me out of my rooms. I follow, curious, and he doesn't let go as he goes down two floors and veers off into a hallway. He opens a door and I realize that this was his rooms. I'd only been in here once, and I'd been blind while in there, so I look around quickly. There was no study area, but an overly large bed took up the center of the room. There were two bookshelves on the right, two doors off to the left side, and a fireplace between the bookshelves that had a loveseat in front of it next to-

"Oh." I breathe out, slipping out of his hold as I move to the crib quickly. Thule was fast asleep, but I set the book on the loveseat and reach in to pick him up anyway. He doesn't wake up, but he does snuggle up to me and I melt.

I don't know how long I stand there, cradling the babe, rocking back and forth to keep him asleep. What I do know is that at some point I'd sat on the loveseat, and Fenrir had moved behind me. I couldn't see him but I could feel him leaning over the side of the loveseat.

"I'd been thinking about adopting him lately." Fenrir's voice startles me, making me jump just slightly.

"Really?" I muse, smoothing a hand down Thules back when he makes a murmuring noise.

"Tom said I needed to discuss it with you in case you were wanting to do the same," he says hesitantly. I finally glance back and his entire posture screamed how unsure he was about this conversation. I make a humming noise as I stand to put Thule back in the crib. When I turn again he hasn't moved from the loveseat.

"I wouldn't mind you adopting Thule. I didn't realize how much I missed him until now. So long as I'd be allowed to see him…" I trail off as I move to pick the book up. I hear him sigh, and suddenly I'm surrounded by Fenrir- his chest at my face, his arms around me, pulling me close and pressing me to him.

"Thank you." he murmurs near my ear. I return the surprise hug, squeezing him a little less then he was me, before sliding away reluctantly.

"When will the adoption go through?" I ask as I step back. I see his face screw into a scowl an instant before he shrugs it off.

"I don't know. Werewolves aren't allowed to adopt right now, but that should be overturned soon. My name will also be cleared soon and…" he trails off, glancing at a windup clock he has on the mantle of the fireplace.

"And it's nearly six and you still have a ritual to do." he changes the topic and I scowl at him.

"No, tell me. Please." I add at the end when his eyes narrow at the first blunt sentence. I don't think he's going to at first, but eventually, he moves to sit in the loveseat. I stay standing and he doesn't seem to like that I'm now standing over him, but he doesn't move either.

"Lucius asked me to teach at the school. As Fen."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous? Dressing up as someone who could show up and mess up that plan?" I ask.

"Fen isn't someone who could just show up. It was my name before I was turned as a child," he admits softly. I freeze at that, surprised, and he tenses up the more I'm silent. After a few moments, I sigh and move to take the seat next to him.

"You didn't think to tell me that yesterday when you were talking about taking on the guise of Fen for the wedding?" I decide on. He glances sideways at me carefully.

"I… I didn't think to, no. Again, Tom pointed out to me that I should talk to you about it. It's not something I like to talk about and isn't something I usually announce. Tom, my father, and my sire are about the only ones that know that he changed my name after I was bitten. The guise Tom cooked up for me will be from one of my brothers that he's met, so it's what I would have looked like if I hadn't been bit as a child." he tells me. It's silent again as I fight to control my immediate anger. I feel like he should have told me anyway, that he was already keeping secrets from me. But, at the same time, I know that I can't blame him entirely for it. If he's so used to keeping it quiet, then telling someone out of the blue wasn't something he'd just do. It was impressive that he was doing it now when he was obviously uncomfortable talking about it.

"So Thule will have your name. Will you keep his first name Thule?" I ask, steering away from the subject of my frustration.

"Thule Harrison Raebeck seems like a good name," he admits, and I brighten immediately at the thought of him also having part of my name.

"Thank you." I murmur, nudging his arm with my elbow. He grins a little shakily at me and glances at the clock again.

"How long do you need for the ritual?" he asks in a complete change of topic.

"Hmm. an hour?" I muse, tapping at the book in my lap thoughtfully. He stands at that, pulling me to my feet as well. He takes the book from me and sets it on the loveseat, before tugging me gently behind him. I quickly realize he's headed to his bed and my eyes snap his way, but he just shakes his head.

"You can get a few more hours of sleep at least. I'll set an alarm to wake you up at 8." he assures me, pulling me to the unruffled side of the bed and maneuvering me into the bed, tucking the covers around me like I was a child. I grumble about that and he flashes a grin at me.

"Go to sleep, Harry," he tells me, moving around the bed to his side. The bed was large enough he wasn't near me, so I stretch out a little more as I melt into the mattress. I'm shocked to find out that I fall asleep quickly.


	13. Chapter 13

"Is that your man?" Remus' amused voice behind me has me turning to look at him. He nods at the entrance to the gardens we were using, and I immediately spot 'Fen'. He was a lot slimmer than Fenrir, and his shoulders were much narrower. The hair was the same color, a little shorter, nad his eyes were a deep blue I hadn't expected.

In his arms was a wiggling Thule.

"Yeah." I agree, grinning as I let the seats I'd been levitating into place drop and move to the two of them. I feel my face flame slightly as Fenrir glances my way and smirks, but I ignore his look and take Thule, kissing his cheek soundly before turning to Fenrir and doing the same. Unlike last night, he quickly catches my cheek as well. His was smooth this time, any stubble or full on beard gone to replace a smoother, narrower face than he usually had.

"Glad you could make it." I murmur, and he grins again. I narrow my eyes and I'm half tempted to walk away, but he catches my hand and squeezes slightly before I make a move. The few times I've felt his hands he has had callouses, and it had dwarfed mine. But now it was slimmer, and smoother.

"Don't be a brat about it." I mutter under my breath before I move to lead him away. He _knew_ that teasing was a quick way to piss me off, and it was a decidedly good day, despite the rough start.

~_~_~_~ _This morning_ ~_~_~_~

 _A rumbling laugh has me waking up, swatting at the noise to make whoever was making it go quiet. It just made them laugh harder, shaking the bed that I'm in, tangled in the blankets._

" _Harry, if you don't want to get physical in this relationship very, very quickly, you need to move."_

" _Wha?" I murmur, shifting again. This time I realize what's going on and it wakes me up quickly._

 _Somehow, in the few hours I'd been in his bed, Fenrir and I had gravitated to eachother. He was wrapped around me like a blanket, and the actual sheets had been kicked off. Our bottom half was so tangled that I wasn't sure where I started and he began. His arm was heavy around my ribs, tucking me in as close as possible to his chest and moulding my body to his. His other arm was under my head, acting as a pillow. I also felt exactly what it was that had him asking me to move. We'd lined up in such a way that my hips were pushed into his lap._

" _I'm sorry!" I gasp out, lurching away, distangling our limbs and practically falling out of the bed. His rumbling laugh hits me again and I turn to scowl at him._

" _There's nothing to be sorry about. I was enjoying myself anyway."_

" _Fenrir!"_

" _You'll wake Thule shouting like that." he chides me, but his grin doesn't fade. He also makes no move to get out of the bed, instead rolling to his back and watching me as I find my shoes and the book I'd come for in the first place._

" _Harry." his voice has me reluctnantly turning and he motions me over as he sits on the edge of the bed._

" _What?" I ask, annoyed. He motions again and I move over until he's pulled me to stand between his legs in a loose hug._

" _Be careful with that ritual this morning. I want you alive when I come to the wedding." he tells me in a gentler tone then before. I relax immediately and hug him quickly._

" _Thank you. I'll be careful and you make sure that Thule is ready by ten." I tell him firmly before letting go. He doesn't though, pulling me back to kiss my temple in a loving gesture I wasn't expecting and had my face flaming._

" _I'll be there, don't worry. Someone has to entertain you surrounded by the redheads." he teased, letting me go. I scowl at the teasing, and he laughs again. This time, Thule lets out a wail and I smirk at a startled Fenrir._

" _You woke him up, you calm him down." I tell him, hurrying out of the room._

"Remus wants to meet you." I tell him as I tug him towards where I had been before. Thule was babbling to himself as we walk, though he looked adorable in his dress robes.

"Remus, This is Fen and Thule." I say, bouncing the babe on my hip. He laughs at me, waving his arms around.

"Hello, I'm Remus." He introduces himself, shaking hands with Fenrir. I can see some kind of emotion flash over his face, but then he blanks out and drops Fenrir's hand. Before I cna questions him, he's turned to Thule and is grinning at the child in my arms.

"Hello handsome." he greets him, running a hand through his unruly hair. Thule laughs at that, and lets him pet his hair a moment before he turns and throws his arms out at Fenrir again. I drop his hand so he can safely take Thule from me, and I pass over the child reluctantly.

"Fen and Thule Raebeck. Nice to meet you, Harry's talked a lot about you this summer." Fenrir says carefully.

"Has he?" Remus seems surprised at that, and I feel my face redden.

"You're not a secret Remus, you're practically my uncle. Of course I was going to tell them about you." I mutter. He grins at that response and goes to say something else, but Bill's suddenly yelling for him.

"So, need any help?" Fenrir asks when we're alone. I shake my head, going back to levitating chairs as guests filter in now.

"I think he recognized my name." he says after a few minutes of idle chatter. I glance at where I had last saw Remus, and he was ignoring us by ushering people to seats and the snack table. I focus quickly on the chairs again, cursing mentally because I had let them wobble.

"Are you okay?" Fenrir's alarmed tone has me flashing him a quick smile.

"I'm fine Fen. I just got a little… overpowered earlier today, and I'm not as strong as I usually am. It's why I'm levitating chairs and not setting the protection wards like Bill and Charlie." I explain. His hand catches my wrist when I go to swish my wand up again to levitate the last row of chairs, and I glance up to see he's concerned.

"What makes you think he recognized you?" I ask, diverting his attention slightly. He moves closer, dragging his hand to rest on my shoulder but not telling me to stop levitating chairs.

"The look he gave me. And he didn't stick around for long for someone who was so anxious to meet me."

"Bill called him away." I point out, and he makes a grunting noise but doesn't disagree. I settle the last chair and spin with a bright smile and my hands outstretched again for Thule. He passes the boy to me willingly and I press my face into Thules hair as he babbles at me.

"I'm sure this is all exciting for you," I murmur to the boy, whose head was on a swivel as he took everything in.

"He's been excited since we apperated. He missed you." Fenrir tells me, smirking when my face flames again.

"Harry!"

Echoing shouts of my name is the only warning I get before I'm ambushed by the twins. It wasn't fair, I was holding a child and they knew I wasn't going to put the child in danger so they were free to practically tackle me with no repricussions.

"Boys." I say as dryly as possible. They give me a twin pout as they back away. They wore bright lime green suits, well tailored but eye watering, which I'm sure is what they were aiming for. They'd vetoed themselves off the wedding party almost immediately, claiming they had too much work to do. Fred had told me it was really so they didn't have to wear the baby blue/silver/white combination that Fleur had come up with.

"Fred! Harry doesn't love us anymore!"

"He doesn't even greet us by name, George!" they cry, and I roll my eyes.

"Fred, George, Fen and Thule Raebeck. Fen, Twin Terrors." I introduce hesitantly. The twins puff up at the supposed praise, and Fenrir gives them an amused look.

"Charming."

"Whose this?" Fred asks at the same time as his brother. Fred points to Thule, who had hid in my robes as soon as the loud twins had appeared, and George was almost toe to toe with Fenrir, who still had a foot or so on him.

" This little one is Thule, Fen's son. And that's Fen. We started dating this summer." I explain. I put emphasis on this summer, because I knew they would catch on. And they did, immediately they shared a wicked grin.

"Oh? This summer? You need to tell us all about it later."George says, adding a nod at the end like that sealed the deal. Fred was too busy cooing at Thule to chime in, trying to get the child to peek out at him.

"He's got beautiful eyes." Fred tells Fenrir when Thule moves away from me, relaxing slightly.

"He does."

"He's comfortable with Harry?" George asks, joining his brother in making faces at the babe.

"Of course. They've practically spent the whole summer together." Fenrir answers again, a soft smile on his face this time. I grin back and we chat with the twins until we're inturupted by guests. I dont put Thule down, and I don't leave Fenrir's side besides when Thule needs to be changed and I head to the samll building to do so. Bill finds me at 11:30 with a frantic look.

"We have to get situated for the march in. Fleurs mother is going crazy looking for everyone." He tells me, before he registers the child in my arms. His eyes widen, and then he grins.

"Hello again, Thule. And whose this?" he asks, motioning to Fenrir, who gives him a sharp smile.

"Fen. Harry's date." He answers a bit sharply.

"Oh! I didn't know you was bringing a date." He gives me an odd look and I shrug at him.

"You said I could if I wanted to so I did." I point out, reluctantly handing Thule over. He puts up a token of resistance but snuggles into Fenrir easily enough.

"I'll dance with you later." I tease the boy, running my fingers in his hair briefly before flashing Fenrir a smile.

"Only after you dance with me I hope." He teases, causing me to blush. Bill laughs, before he's dragging me away from them.

"So, Fen? What's his real name?" He asks casually. I think about lying for almost a minute, but at his clearly annoyed face when I turn to do that, I sigh.

"It really is Fen Raebeck. Though you know him as someone else usually." I admit. I give the side of his face a pointed look and he tenses up.

"You brought him here!?" He hisses, glancing around to see if anyone was paying attention.

"I did. I'm dating him and you said I could bring anyone I wanted." I point out, growling at him as I did so. He backs down immediately.

"Alright, alright. Fine. You're scarier now that I know what's going on." he mutters to himself, and I smirk at that.

"Harry!" I get a mouth full of red hair as someone collides with me. I realize it must be Ginny and give her a breif hug before I let her go. She's bouncing excitedly and I grin at her obvious enthusiasm.

"Who are you walking with again?" I ask, glancing around at the gathered people. I see Hermione in the corner, stewing to herself. I ignore that for now, focusing on the one person I don't recognize. He had dirty blond hair and was shorter than every guy- even me, to my surprise.

"I'm walking with Percy. Stephen is walking with Hermione, Charlie is walking with Persephone, Fleur's best friend, and you're walking with Gabrielle." She informs me happily, tugging me next to the younger french girl. She gives me a quick grin before her and Ginny start chatting excitedly about the wedding. I study everyone else in the small squared off part of the garden we had gathered in. Percy and Charlie were talking with Bill, who looked a little green. Persephone was peeking out at the gathering crowd every few seconds, either looking for someone or getting nervous. Stephen had moved closer to us, clearly uncomfortable, and I sigh a little internally before making my way over to him.

"Hello! You're Stephen, right? I'm Harry." I introduce myself, sticking a hand out. He shakes it, looking a little shell shocked.

"I forgot Bill said Harry Potter was in his wedding party." he says when he gains control of his mouth, blushing a little.

"I'm just Harry, at least for today. This is all about Bill and Fleur. So, how did he rope you into coming in so fast?" I ask. He glances at Hermione, and his lip curls in distaste reflexively.

"I was going to come to the wedding anyway, I had promised him I would. It's why my portkey was set for today. He asked me over the floo, said his brother had tried to jinx someone's robes in the wedding party and Fleur kicked him out. I was also told I was to… watch, her. They think she had a hand in it and Ron just took the fall so that one of them could be in the wedding." he admits to me, his voice dropping.

Well, it didn't take two guesses to figure out who they were trying to jinx. I wish I could say I was surprised, but after everyone's warnings it didn't really seem impossible. It still hurt, but it wasn't like I hadn't expected it.

"Good to know. I'm sorry in advance. Just silence her if she gets horrible, yeah?" I advise, only half joking. He laughs, gaining Bills attention, and then the groom is also with us, bringing his brothers.

"You ready Harry?"

"I think I should be asking you that. You need a bin to throw up in or are you okay?" I ask a little bluntly.

"I'm fine, I'll be fine. Just nervous. I know, I know, nothing to be nervous about. I just wish it was over with already. Stressing isn't helping me."

"If it helps you, the… session we had earlier is even more binding then this will be." I offer. At his blank look I realize that that probably didn't help him all that much.

"What?"

"Yeah. it showed how compatable your souls were. You're practically soulmates, it's going to bind you tighter than any bonding ceremony." I explain. To be fair, they'd been pretty dazed at the end of the ritual, Fleur said the power had been intoxicating.

"Bill! Up to the altar so we can start the music!" Fleur's mothers voice finds us before she does. He laughs nervously, pats my shoulder a bit roughly, and leaves us all to fall in line. Gabrielle and I were just behind Charlie and Persephone, with Percy and Ginny behind us and Hermione and Stephen at the end. The music starts, and we all start the slow march down the aisle they had created for us. Gabrielle is beaming, and I smile a little indulgently at her. I spy Fenrir in the back few rows after a second of looking. Letting my good mood show, I shoot him a wink that has him blinking in surprise as I look away, focusing on the march Gabrielle and I was making. I give her a small twirl, making her giggle, before we part to go to our own sides. I focus at the end of the aisle, and wait.

"He's making a mess of your robes." Fenrir tells me, grinning as he flicks his wand and the mush of cake Thule had been eating disappears from my robes. He'd been perched on my lap all meal, with Fenrir on my left side and Ginny, Gabrielle, Percy, and Charlie sitting with us.

"The wedding is over, I can get the robes dirty."

"But I like the robes." he muses. Ever since I'd found him after the wedding and before the meal, he had been very… flirty. To be fair, I'd started it and kept reciprocating.

"Well, that's unfortunate. I don't. Silver isn't a color I wear well." I muse. Each one of the pairs had had a different Dominant color. Persephone and Charlie had more white in their ensamble with silver accents, Gabrielle and I had mostly silver with blue and white accents, Percy and Ginny had white with blue accents, and Hermione and Stephen had blue with silver accents.

"Harry, you wear literally anything really, really well now. Whatever you ate to make you fill out that much, send some my way." Gabrielle cuts in.

"Or my way. You're nearly as tall as I am. I can't have you passing me up, I only just passed on the shortest kid title onto you." Charlie chimes in. I duck my head, ignoring the comments and kissing the top of Thule's head instead. Luckily, Bill stands pretty quickly.

"Speeches have been made, food has been ate, it's time to head back out for the first dance." he announces with a Sonorus charm. I go to shoulder the bag that Fenrir had brought with him, but he snatches it before I can.

"I can carry the bag Fen." I complain lightly.

"You carry the child, I'll carry the bag. Unless you want to hand my son over?" he says back a little dryly. I pout at that, hugging Thule to me a little tighter.

"That's what I thought. Now move, I don't like being pushed around." he tells me. His arm settles heavily on my lower back, steering me in the crowd carefully so that I don't hit anyone with the child in my arms. When we make it back outside, I duck to say something to the child in my arms. Unfortunately, Thule's head snaps up so fast he hits my nose, causing me to see stars.

"Ah, Fuck kid that hurt!" I mutter, pinching my nose while Thule makes excited noises, oblivious.

"What?" Fenrir is immediately in front of me, tilting my head back and examining my nose.

"You're bleeding."

"Amazing deduction."

"I don't think my healing spell will heal this, is anyone around a healer?" he asks, his fingers prodding gently at my nose around my fingers. I blink up at him as I think, and I notice the lights hanging in the air that I hadn't had a chance to see before. That must have been what had caught Thules attention.

"Uh, Fleur's mother, Fleur, Persephone, Charlie, Tonks is she is around…" he gives me a blank look and I groan.

"Nevermind. Go find Remus."

"Right. Here. Sit down, I'll be right back." he helps me sit on a chair before he disappears.

"You're a pain in my ass kid." I mutter to Thule. He ignores me, latching onto the hand holding him still and trying to lift it to his mouth.

"Finally lost your guard?"

Hermione's voice startles me and I squint my eyes open at her. She's scowling down at Thule, and I ignore my nose and the blood coming out of it to hunch over him protectively.

"He's my date, not my guard."

"The way he hovers? There's no way." she says, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"What do you want?" I ask after a beat of silence. I can't say Fenrir doesn't hover, because he does, but I liked it. At least, for now. Here in a few months I'm sure it will be annoying.

"Dumbledore told Ron and I that when he died, we had to make sure you stayed with the light." she tells me seemingly out of the blue. I squint, trying to figure out what exactly she meant.

"You turn your back on him, you start aligning with dark families, and you suddenly disappear only to reappear with a questionable date and a questionable growth spurt. That doesn't sound light to me." she says, eyeing me like she could figure out exactly what dark spell I used to gain my height.

"I actually had a healthy enviorment to grow, imagine that." I snap back, annoyed with her already.

"Harry!" Remus' voice is to my left and I turn to him expectantly. Fenrir is with him, hovering just over his shoulder as Remus fixes my nose with a small pop and cleans the blood off with a swish of his wand. When I glance up Hermione is gone.

"Better?" Remus asks, tilting my head up and studying my nose carefully.

"Better, thanks. Kids got a thick skull apparently." I muse, standing Thule on my legs so he can see better as people moved around. The first dance seems to be over, and couples were flooding the floor.

"Here, let me take him, you two go dance for awhile." Remus offers, holding hs arms out. Thule shys away for a moment, but a few soft spoken words and a cookie and he was in Remus' arms, taking a chair near where I had sat.

"Here." Fenrir takes my hand and pulls gently until I'm walking with him towards the dancing people.

"You know I was kidding right? I can't dance. Like, at all." I tell him nervously. He just laughs at me, pulling me into a loose hold a few moments before he settles me into a dance position.

"Have you only ever danced lead?"

"Yeah?"

"Then this is completely different." he says confidently. He starts pulling, leading me slowly around the floor. At first it isn't to the music, just teaching me how to step. And he was right, it was extremely different. Soon enough we were swinging around to the music like the rest of the couples and I was a lot calmer.

"Okay, this is fun." I admit. He laughs at me, pulling me closer and making me trip up slightly in the steps.

"I'm glad you like it. I used to teach the kids to dance before I left. I enjoy dancing with you a lot more though." he tacks on at the end when I open my mouth with a smart answer.

"I'm sorry if this is boring for you, besides the dancing. But thank you for coming with me today." I tell him after a pause. He seems surprised at that.

"Funny, I don't actually remember you giving the okay for me to go. I just assumed that you wouldn't mind even though I knew you was joking before. I get to see you outside the manor as well, which is nice." he tells me carefully. Before I can reply, Remus pops up at our elbows.

"Thule is making a fuss. You want to dance with him for awhile?" he explains. Thule was red in the face and had a massive pout on, making me grin at him.

"Sure." I agree, taking him. I expect Fenrir to wander to a chair, but he just settles his hands on my hips and begins leading me in the dance again while I hold Thule.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Bit of a time jump, It's now the 20th of August.

"Fen, what are you doing?" I mutter, cracking an eye open. He grins at me as he continues to settle Thule into the crook of my arm. I'd been taking a nap on his bed before we went to dinner, and he'd left with Thule before I'd fell asleep. I'd also gotten into the habit of calling him Fen, and though he growled about it sometimes I could tell he found it more amusing than anything.

"He's sleeping too. Just go back to sleep, you have an hour before you need to get ready," he reassures me, fingers running in my hair a moment before he goes to leave.

"Nooo. Come lay down with us." I whine, not caring if I sounded childish. I'd had a headache most of the morning and it was gone now, but I still wanted to be lazy.

He gives a put-upon sigh, swishes his wand in the familiar alarm spell, and then moves to settle in behind me. His arm goes around me like it normally does when I sleep in his rooms, and soon enough I'm asleep again.

"Harry, I need you in the study, now."

The disembodied voice of my so-called father has me waking up, catching a glimpse of a silver mist dissipating before I fully register what's going on.

"Did you-"

"I'll get Thule awake and meet you there." Fenrir's tired voice behind me reassures me slightly and I slip out from between the two of them, pulling on shoes before I go to the study that Tom had claimed as his. When I step in I'm immediately on guard, because Snape is sitting in one of the chairs, waiting with him.

"Hello, Father," I mutter, rubbing at my eyes. He'd insisted I start calling him that when in other peoples company. At the jolt from Snape, I realize that he hasn't been kept in the loop.

"Yes, I adopted him even though he's technically of age. Now that he is here, Severus, what did you want?" Tom's tone is annoyed so I sit and look at Snape expectantly.

"I've finished your potion and registered it at the Ministry as I promised. It was tested on a volunteer last full moon and it's ready for distribution now. A talk with a few members of the order, and Lucius and Parkinson, and they hinted that an emergency meeting might be held to abolish the laws against werewolves for anyone registered to have taken this potion. Parkinson also said to give this to Fenrir." he pulls out a piece of paper and goes to hand it to Tom, but he waves it my way. Snape hands it over hesitantly, and I snap it open with a flick of my wand.

"Boy! It wasn't meant-"

"You don't mind, do you dear?" I ask offhandedly as I hear Fenrir coming in. his huffing laugh is all I get in answer, but I was more focused on the paper then I was him anyway. I feel him leaning on the chair I was in and I finish the letter before I lean up and beam at him. His eyebrow goes up in surprise.

"Good news?"

"Great news. You're going to the ministry in a few hours to clear your name." I say a little gleefully, and he laughs again, leaning down to brush his lips on mine.

"Are you coming with me?"

"Hmm. well, you will be canceling our date. Letting me go with you to celebrate afterward would be more than enough to make up for it though." I muse to myself.

"You do realize that once you're cleared and the potion is distributed, Lucius is going to hire you on as potion master just to set an example." Tom chimes in, and I hand the letter to Fenrir as I focus back on Tom and Snape.

"Do you want to continue teaching?" I ask Snape curiously. Instead of sneering at me like I expected, he gives Tom a look I can't read.

"I'll continue to do so if you wish it," he tells Tom, who looks amused.

"Why don't you write your uncle about an opening in the staff at Hogwarts? He's taught DADA before, has he not? And I'd feel better if you had someone else there." He asks me. I'm surprised and glance at Snape, but he only looks relieved.

"What will you do then?" I ask Snape.

"I am a potion master," he starts to sneer at me, but Fenrir does something behind me that has him glaring at the ground instead.

"I will start working on my potions again," he says, still a little viciously.

"I could translate more of Slytherins books so you can work on his leftover projects." I offer. There's a long silence before Tom's head tilts to the side.

"You never cease to amaze me. Severus is nothing but hostile to you most times, and yet you give him such a gift without thought."

The shiver that I feel Fenrir give and the look Snape has on his face indicates he wasn't speaking English. I respond in kind, feeling Fenrir tense behind me as I do so.

"I have no use for it, and I know that Fenrir enjoys brewing potions but doesn't like making new ones or improving upon them. Snape is the only one I can think of that would treat the gift the way it should be." I point out to him. He nods just slightly and that is the end of it, he moves on to telling Snape about something he wants done. Fenrir and I quickly fall into our own little bubble, something we had a habit of doing a lot now.

We've officially gone on 16 dates. Unofficially, we'd spent almost every day together. If he had things to do, he'd either sit in my little study area or I'd join him in his room or the library. I would paint, or work on my own little assignments that Tom had given to me.

I'd also heavily started reading the seventh tier guide that I had gotten after my sixth tier summoning. I had been too nervous to read it before, but after summoning three sixth tiers in under a month I was confident I could pass this test. Fenrir had tried to help at first, but after a quick glance at the book called it a lost cause because he couldn't read it. I'd honestly forgotten that the books weren't written in English, after the second tier it came so naturally that I sometimes read it better than English.

And at night, we'd either go out for dinner or eat with the family and then head to his room to curl up either on the couch or on the bed and read. If I fell asleep before 11, I'd just stay there. If I was awake by then I usually left with Thule.

"We have time to eat with everyone else if you would like to eat with them tonight," Fenrir says out of the blue. I concede and I stand, startling the other two men in the room.

"We're headed to dinner before the late meeting with Lucius. I'll see you tomorrow about that letter for Remus." I call over my shoulder as Fenrir ushers me out of the room.

"Where's Thule?" I ask, knowing he'd pawned the child off on someone else.

"With Narcissa or Lucius. I left him with Narcissa, but who knows who has him now," he admits. I let out an unmanly sound as he suddenly pulls me into a guest room, practically yanking me off my feet. I'm settled on a dresser before I can realize what's going on and I'm nose to nose with him.

"Uh, Fen?"

"If this passes, if I'm let go and I get to take the potion, are you still okay with me adopting Thule?" he asks. I pause at the question but nod.

"Of course. I wouldn't have said I was okay with it if I wasn't." I remind him gently. He nods, but the serious look on his face doesn't disappear.

"And what if I decide that I want all my records changed back to Fen Raebeck? I know you call me Fen now, but… I don't want to change it if you like Greyback more, or Fenrir, or-"

"Whoa, hey, calm down," I tell him when his eyes start lighting with the amber more prominent. His hold on my waist had gotten almost bruising and he sucks in a sharp breath before loosening the hold.

"Firstly, I'm going to call you Fen no matter what you want. I like it. As for the last name, it's your choice." I remind him, running my hands over his arms soothingly. He ducks his head slightly and I feel his nose skim my neck as he takes deep breaths. It was something I'd noticed- and exploited- almost immediately. That every time he got angry, he would breathe in my scent and it would calm him down quicker than anything I'd ever seen.

"I'd hope that you would take it one day, so your opinion matters just a little." he murmurs into my neck. That throws me for a loop for a moment. I knew, of course, that this was a permanent thing. It was going to be a lifelong thing, now that I knew we were made for each other. But to hear him just casually mention it like that, this early, wasn't something I was expecting. Finally, I just nuzzle against his cheek and kiss the part of his face I could reach.

"I'll be bonding to the man, not the name," I tell him carefully. His arms tighten again, this time in joy before he pulls back with a grin.

"Look at you, sounding all psychological." he murmurs, brushing our lips together.

"Mmm. I'm known for it from time to time." I agree, grinning when he growls playfully before making the kiss more demanding. I drape my arms around him willingly and when he shifts my legs I lock my ankles behind him and pull him closer. I feel his teeth graze my bottom lip and feel a hand fumbling with the bottom of my shirt when there's a sharp knock on the door. The growl he gives is much more terrifying than before.

"What?" His raised voice has me smoothing my hands down his button down and kissing under his chin even as the door opens.

"Why are you molesting Harry in a guest room?" Bella's cheerful voice has me ducking to hide a grin.

"Why are you nosing around this hallway?" Fenrir snaps back, moving slightly to keep between me and an advancing Bella.

"Tom said you were coming down to eat but no one could find you."

"Tom can fuck off." he snarls, and I latch onto his upper arms a little roughly.

"Hey! I'd rather they be concerned that we were missing than not be and something have happened." I tell him, making him focus on me again.

"They don't need to be concerned! I-"

"If I would have gone to my room to get something and you went to your room to do the same, and I get hurt, wouldn't you want someone looking for me?" I demand, cutting off his angry rant. His eyes narrow, and I wait for a long time as he puzzles over whether to get angry or not.

"We'll be down when we're ready to eat." He finally says to Bella over his shoulder.

"If you don't come down now you won't have time to eat before your meeting." She sing songs, but I hear her leaving the room.

"You have got to stop that," I say a little tiredly. So far every time someone had accidentally walked in on Fenrir and I kissing or interrupted us, he'd gone snappy and growled at everyone.

"It'll calm down eventually." he sighs, but his shoulders slump forward still, obviously upset at my tone.

"I'm not asking you to calm down. I get angry when they walk in too. I'm asking you not to immediately assume that it's a bad thing. If Thules sick, or someone is hurt, I want to know immediately and not after we've had a twenty-minute kissing session in the guest bedroom, alright?" I try to placate. He huffs but doesn't disagree, stepping back and letting me slide to my feet. He tucks me under his arm and we walk down to the dining room to find Thule with the witches of the house.

Officially, Narcissa was now his foster mother, thanks to a few confundus charms and an obliviate at the orphanage that Kikio points me to as the one she had stolen Thule from.

"Hello." I murmur, ducking to kiss both the witches cheeks and the top of Thules head as he concentrates on a thing of mashed potatoes.

"Lucius is at the Ministry tonight, any idea why?" Narcissa asks, but the smirk she's wearing says she already knows.

"Lord Parkinson has asked to meet Fenrir at the ministry to clear his name."

"And the potion?"

"Severus left a portion of it for Fenrir to take at the ministry itself with Lucius. He will give it to you when you clear your name." Bella chimes in. I don't ask how she knew that she probably talked to Severus before he left.

"I can take Thule, can't I?" I ask Narcissa. She nods easily and I grin at the messy child.

"I'll take him to get cleaned up, you two eat." she declares, taking the content baby.

"Yes, Ma'am," I tell her playfully and earn a swat to the head.

"Harry, Savannah is going in for a checkup, and we wanted to know if you wanted to come with us to see if it's a boy or girl. It'll be the thirtieth of this month, so I know that it'll be right before you leave, but-"

"Of courses I want to go!" I cut her off excitedly. She grins at my excitement and we spend a few minutes chatting about their surrogate and my godchild before I'm nudged gently from my left. I snap my gaze to Fenrir and he motions to the food in front of me that I hadn't noticed.

"We have forty minutes to get to the ministry," he tells me, and I take the hint and start eating. Just as we are about to leave, Narcissa comes to us with a smartly dressed Thule and a bag. When I go to take the bag from her she hands over the child and smiles.

"I'm going with you. My husband won't mind and I think you'll like having someone to talk to while Fenrir is being interrogated." She tells me as she pats Thules hair down.

"Thank you, Narcissa," Fenrir says before I can say anything against it. I pout but he pulls me towards him.

"Hold on tight to Thule," he mutters into my hair a moment before he pulls me into apparition. I stumble into his chest as we land and he laughs, steadying me as Thule giggles with him.

"Harry!" an alarmed voice shouts my name and I turn, surprised, to see Kingsley and Mad-Eye coming towards us, wands raised. Fenrir growls behind me and I shoot a hand backward, fumbling along his arm until I'm clutching his hand.

"Harry, What are you doing?" Kingsley asks in shock as I adjust my hold on Thule.

"We were invited here per Lord Parkinsons' request. I suggest you not hold us up." I snap.

"Get away from the wolf boy," Mad-Eye barks at me. I growl in response, startling all five of us.

"I will not be leaving. Narcissa, where would your husband and Lord Parkinson be waiting for us?"

"Manners dictate they be waiting for us here. I'll be having words with my husband," she says in a standoffish way. Fenrir's hand loosens from my grip and I panic slightly until his hands settle on his favorite place- my waist. I lean back on him immediately, relaxing.

"We will escort the wolf to the cells. You need to go to-"

"I don't need to go anywhere. I'm not a minor, Kingsley. And as I said, we are here per Lord Parkinson's request. I suggest you not take Fenrir anywhere before you piss more than one important lord off."

"No lord is going to be upset-"

"Alastor Moody, I'm a lord twice over, both sacred 28 names, and I am currently very upset with you. Continue talking and I will have the both of you put in cells yourself." I cut him off before he can start ranting.

"Calm down dear. I see Lucius." Fenrir murmurs in my ear, and I take a deep breath before spinning and putting my back to them. I know Fenrir will tear them apart if they so much as twitch a wand in my direction.

"I'm going to cut his hair in his sleep," I mutter. He lets out a startled laugh as Lucius and two men I didn't know showed up, making me turn sideways in Fenrir's grip reluctantly.

"Mr. Greyback, Mr. Potter, Thank you for showing up. I'm Lord Parkinson, this is Lord Malfoy, and this is Minister Scrimgeour. Lady Malfoy, a pleasure as always." the man with short blond hair introduces. He didn't look like he could have a child my age, but I wasn't one to judge peoples ages well. Fenrir had laughed hysterically when I told him I placed Rabastan around his age. He'd made sure to tell Bellatrix, too, which launched a small prank war between the two of us for making her sound like an 'old woman' because she was nearly five years older than Rabastan and still younger than Fenrir.

"Mr. Potter, this is a surprise." Minister Scrimgeour's voice was rough, which matched his scruffy looks.

"It's Lord Potter-Black, actually. And I'm more of a moral supporter than anything, Minster. And a babysitter for Narcissa here." I admit, ducking to kiss at Thules hair and earning a small laugh, his first noise since the tension started.

"I see. Will you be in the courtroom?"

"Courtroom?" I echo, straightening immediately. Fenrir's grip tightens again.

"Calm down love, I knew that this was going to be a trial before I showed up." he murmurs where only I could hear.

"But-"

"Yes, he will be a spectator," Fenrir speaks louder to the people gathered. I huff at him cutting me off and he responds by ducking and kissing the side of my face.

"Get your hands off of Harry!" Kingsley's voice startles all of us gathered. I had assumed that they had left, but apparently, they had been observing.

"He doesn't need your permission to touch his partner, Auror Kingsley." Narcissa's sharp tone cuts through the tension around the group, and I can see all three of the men in front of me grinning.

"Please, Lucius, lead the way so we can be removed from their presence," Narcissa says again. He offers his arm to his wife, and Fenrir chuckles and lets me go, offering the same to me.

"Oh haha," I mutter but lace my arm through his. Thule pats at his arm as well, making me grin as he babbles up at the werewolf. I'm sure he was loving this- his big bad wolf image being destroyed by a little boy with bright red hair and a bubbly laugh that infected a room.

We stop next to a set of doors and Fenrir goes to drop his arm. When I clutch onto it reflexively he spins me to face him, so close that Thule is touching both of us much to his delight.

"An hour, Harry. And then, within the week, I'm taking you somewhere extremely public, preferably Diagon, and kissing you to the point of indecency." he murmurs, grinning as my face flushes like it always did when he said things like that.

"Only if I leave the manor with you," I mutter good-naturedly about it. He laughs and kisses me, and then ducks and kisses Thule before he's walking with Lucius and Lord Parkinson. His back was straight, arms at his sides, striding forward like he was about to become Minister and not be questioned about his sire's actions.

"Come, Harry. We will sit in the front, I doubt many other people will be around for this." Narcissa tells me. It takes her hand at my back to get me moving though. When I step through, Fenrir is already seated in the single chair in the middle of the room. Lucius had explained to me a few weeks ago what a trial looks like because once I was out of school I would need to attend them, as well as meetings monthly.

"Sit." Narcissa coaches when I pause at the railing. I sit and immediately focus on Thule, not liking the fact that they had actually chained Fenrir down.

I sit there in a haze. Sometimes I could hear a few words- vertiserum, biting, children, and even Remus' name is a small list of them- but for the most part, I focus on keeping Thule happy. Soon though, Narcissa is gripping my hand tightly and I look up to see a group of people all standing, facing Fenrir.

"What-"

"Shush child." she snaps at me. Her free hand smoothing over my arm takes the cut out of her sharp words and I focus on Lord Parkinson, who was speaking.

"After listening to your testimony, and questioning you under vertiserum," here he glares at an older gentleman with grey hair that seems to shrink in on himself, "We've decided that all charges against you will be dropped, and the arrest on sight order will be lifted immediately. Please wait five days before going out in public to make sure that everyone will be aware of your freedom, and be assured that if anyone attacks you, or the people you surround yourself with unjustly, they will be persecuted." he says with an air of finality before waving his wand. A loud bang echoes through the area.

Between one breath and the next Fenrir is yanking me out of my seat and squeezing me until I can't breathe. I don't know where Thule is, but my arms are empty because I'm squeezing back just as tightly. I feel him shaking, and realize for all his bravado before, he had been afraid that he was going to be arrested just as much as I was.

It didn't hit me until then, exactly how devastated I would have been to have him gone. Just the thought of it ached, and soon enough I feel myself shaking, and then crying. Because I could have lost him, Thule wouldn't have ever known him, I would never have gotten to hold him or kiss him or even talk to him again. He could have been ripped away and I wasn't really sure if I would have survived that. I loved him, and I've never told him, hadn't even said it to myself until now, after the danger had passed.

"Shhh. Harry, I have to let you go for a minute, I need to take Slytherins potion before I can leave." Fenrir's voice in my ear has me calming, and I feel myself nod, letting him go reluctantly. He latches onto my arm, not quite letting me go, and turns to Parkinson whose holding out a slightly smoking, purplish grey colored potion. He downs it quickly as I take ahold of Thule again. Somehow, Narcissa had snatched him from me after Fenrir had lunged our way. At the sound of him heaving like he's going to throw up, Lucius calls for a ministry elf to bring him pumpkin juice. After three glasses of that, he seems better and settles his arm around me as we stand in a small cluster- Narcissa, Lucius, Parkinson, Fenrir and myself, the minister, and another man I don't recognize until I see his light brown eyes and realize he must be Theo Nott's father.

"Better?" Narcissa's soft voice to my left has me shifting and nodding, letting the five others talk quietly as I focus on her.

"I think Thule's ready for bed." I murmured after a few more minutes of idle chatter. The child was nuzzling underneath my chin and putting all his weight on me. Usually, he was constantly moving, but his soft, even breathing and his small little shuffles suggested he was asleep. Fenrir's head snaps my way and he nods immediately.

"They will be voting to see all laws against werewolves on Slytherins potion abolished tomorrow morning. We will know by noon." Fenrir summarizes his conversation for me as he starts steering me to the door to the courtroom, the others following.

"I feel like I won't wake up before then, so that'll be fine," I tell him, stifling a yawn. His arm on my waist shifts higher and he pulls me closer as we walk.

"Stay with me tonight?" he asks, glancing back at the Lords following us.

"All you ever have to do is ask Fen."


	15. Chapter 15

"Harry?"

Draco's voice calling my name through Fenrir's bedroom door has me stirring, but Fenrir gives a low growl near my ear and I pause.

"Harry, you need to come downstairs please." Draco pleads through the door again.

"If he wakes Thule I'm breaking his legs," Fenrir grumbles, nuzzling the back of my neck.

"Let me up so I can see what he wants?" I ask, even as I snuggle into the covers more. Fenrir mumbles something I can't understand and then he's detangling his limbs from mine. I make a sound of protest but he's already stalking around to the door.

"What do you want child?" He growls as he throws the door open.

"H-harry got a howler, m-mother asked me to find him so it didn't blow up." Draco stutters out. I roll over, intending to go back to sleep. I expected a lot of howlers today with the story of Fenrir being released and me being by his side- okay, glued to his side- all over the news.

"Harry? Did you hear that?" Fenrir calls softly. I make a grunting noise in response.

"It's probably from my childe," he admits.

"Wha?"

"Lupin, Harry. Lupin probably found out about last night. He's the only one I can think of that would send you a howler and it makes it through the wards." His voice moves closer as he speaks until he's at the foot of the bed.

"Oh, fuck." I'm wide awake now, sliding out from under the covers and scowling up at Fenrir. He just grins, dipping down to kiss me.

When he finally pulls away, I'm lightheaded but fully awake.

"Downstairs, listen to the howler, eat something. I'll stay up here until Thule wakes up." He offers.

"Nuh uh. Draco, Stay with Thule until he wakes up. You are going to listen with me." I demand, pulling myself to my feet and tugging him with me. Draco makes a sputtering noise as we walk past but I don't give him enough time to protest.

"You're an asshole in the morning," Fenrir mutters. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to hear it, but I send him a glare.

"Don't give me that look, it's true. Making a werewolf listen to a howler is torture." he's practically whining now and I roll my eyes.

"Fine, don't listen to it with me then." I drop his hand and move to walk past him on the stairs and he responds by lifting me off the floor with an arm around my waist.

"Hey!"

"You're in a bad mood his morning." Is his reply as he carries me down the stairs. I pry at his arms, but they don't budge and I huff.

"I'm not in a bad mood this morning I'm just tired. Let me walk!"

"Only if you calm down and realize I was just teasing you," he replies, easily carrying me towards the dining room.

"I knew you were joking!" I growl, smacking at his hands again. He drops me abruptly and the only thing keeping me from falling on my ass is him catching my arm as I crumple. We walk into the dining room with him snickering at me. I ignore him, gravitating to the red letter sitting on my normal placemat. I glance at Narcissa and Bellatrix, who was in the room. Rodolphus and Rabastan were also there but talking to each other and not just watching me.

"Open it now before it explodes," Narcissa warns. I nod wearily before I rip open the flap. It flies out of my hand and into the air, and then I can hear Remus' bellowing through the house, making my ears ring.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" There's a long, too silent pause after that, and then a deep breath.

"If I don't have you in the receiving room of your place by 3 this evening, I WILL be hunting you down by the end of the night." I groan at the scary-quiet voice he's speaking in. He was beyond mad.

"I have been patient, I have been lenient, and I stayed calm when I recognized the man you brought to the wedding. But YOU STILL KEPT SECRETS FROM ME. I would have THOUGHT my son in all but blood would have come to me as SOON as he realized he had a cure for werewolves- and don't even think about denying it, Severus may have claimed it but this has your name written all over it- BUT I HAD TO FIND OUT THROUGH MOODY AND KINGSLEY! They were FURIOUS with you! I may be accepting of your werewolf lover but no one else was when they found out. I COULD HAVE HELPED IF YOU HAD JUST SAID SOMETHING! I am BEYOND angry with you right now. Be glad I already knew when the papers came out this morning or I would have skipped the letter and just tracked you down myself."The note shreds itself and I slump over my seat, leaning on the back of it. I felt like a scolded child. I also felt like I'd let him down somehow.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as it could have been." Fenrir murmurs, sounding surprised. I shoot a look his way and see him frowning in thought.

"What?"

"He didn't say I couldn't come with you," he says, still thoughtful.

"You want to be in the same room as Moony?" I ask, surprised.

"Yes. He cares for you and I respect that. I'd like to meet him officially and not as someone I'm not anymore. Plus, he doesn't sound too upset with the idea of us dating." He admits. I nod along, then glance around the room. I settle on Narcissa.

"Has your husband said anything yet?"

"He's still in session. Eat, and go get a shower, and then you and Fenrir can go see your uncle. Tell him about Tom's idea about him teaching as well, it'll be easier than writing him." She tells me firmly. She may have said it as a suggestion but her tone made it obvious I couldn't say no. I grumble at her but Fenrir is already guiding me into my seat before sitting next to me.

20 minutes later I'm exiting the floo in Grimmauld with Fenrir attached to me. That doesn't seem to upset Remus, who still tackled me as soon as I'd balanced myself. I hit the ground with a pained sound and I hear Fenrir laughing at me.

"I'm still furious with you." Remus' muffled voice from where he'd buried his face in my shirt has me sighing.

"I know."

"You could have told me." he points out, looking up but not making a move to let me up.

"I didn't… I couldn't tell you in a letter, and then we were with the Weasleys, and then I didn't visit after the wedding. I know I should have made the time to. I'm sorry." I tell him. I wasn't going to make excuses for myself. I should have told Moony as soon as I even felt like I could actually have a chance with Fenrir. But I didn't, and now my pseudo uncle was angry, and I deserved that.

"You're a brat," he mutters into my chest before finally letting me go and helping me off the floor.

He seems to notice Fenrir for the first time, or at least acknowledge him because he scowls slightly and looks up at the man with his hands on his hips.

"Sire or not, you hurt my son and I'm breaking your neck," he says in a calm voice. I startle at the term son, a rush of warmth running through me more at him calling me it then when Tom did. Fenrir seems to find the threat amusing more than anything, but he does nod.

"It's in my best interest not to hurt him."

"It's in your best interest to make him the happiest man alive. He deserves it." Remus counters, eyes narrowing.

"Whoa, hey, I'm right here. Let's not talk about me like I'm not, yeah?" I cut in, moving to stand a little closer to Fenrir. His arm snaps around my waist immediately, making me roll my eyes.

"Come to the kitchen Cub," Remus tells me, turning to walk away. I elbow Fenrir when he starts snickering again.

"I WILL send you back through the floo!" I threaten, shaking his arm off and moving to follow Remus.

"Sit," Remus demands without turning to look at me, doing something at the counter. I sit in my chair hesitantly. He turns just slightly, slams something on the table and then turns away again. I glance down and see the paper I hadn't had time to read. The front page, instead of being about the cure for werewolves, was about my leaving with Fenrir that someone had witnessed. 'BOY WHO LIVED TO BE WITH ALPHA WEREWOLF?' screams at me. A picture of myself wrapped around Fenrir, leaving the Atrium, is taking up half the front page.

"We need more pictures of us," Fenrir says behind me, startling me.

"Not the time for that discussion," I exclaim. Remus snorts but doesn't enter the conversation.

"Hmm. We'll see." he finally says, leaning away and sitting beside me. Remus pulls a chair out in front of me and I look up to see he's no longer smiling.

"I have a proposition for you," he says carefully. I frown at that, but nod to show I'm listening.

"You drink this cup of tea, and I'll drink mine, and we will both mutually agree to ignore the veritaserum inside of it. We will have a thirty-minute window of us on it. We will both ask any questions we want, and in return, Fenrir will bind our vows saying we won't ever tell anyone without the others permission." He motions to the very stiff sitting wolf beside me.

"No."

"Fenrir!"

"I'm not letting you take veritaserum!"

"Yes, you are. I trust Remus, even if I'm a coward about telling him certain things. I would tell him the truth without it! If he feels like he can't trust me and I have to take it to earn that trust back you're damned right I'm taking it!" I hiss out, and just to prove it I slam the cup of tea on the tray Remus had sat on the table back before he could stop me.

"Dammit Harry!" Fenrir growls, and I hear knuckles pop as he clenches his fists together. I hear Remus taking his drink as well, but I stay focused on Fenrir's furious gaze.

"You can step out at any time." I snap at him, annoyed. The vertiserum made me fuzzy, but not completely out like so many people said I would be.

"I only put one drop in. You'll be compelled to answer but you can still think." Remus says softly. Fenrir relaxes minutely at that but still looks furious.

"If I don't like a question you ask, I am going to hurt you," he growls at Remus.

"Why didn't you tell me about Fenrir?" he asks instead of replying.

"I was scared. First of anyone else finding out before the potion went through, and then when we had a few alone moments It was about how you would react to me. I didn't know if you still hated him for biting you and I couldn't listen to you badmouth him and I couldn't risk losing you." the words flow a little too easily, but I didn't mind. It was the truth like I promised, and I had expected the question.

"Your turn cub," Remus says, voice a lot calmer than it has been since we came in.

"Do you hate me now?" I ask, and my voice is a lot smaller than I want it to be.

"Oh, Harry, I could never hate you. Get angry with you, yes. But I can't hate you. I knew that you had a reason, I just thought that you didn't trust me. Don't ever think that I can hate you. You're my son in all but blood."

After that, the questions got a lot easier to handle. It was Generic stuff, but I didn't mind. Right as the thirty minutes were winding down, Remus seems to hesitate.

"How did you two meet?"

Fenrir growls and puts a hand up like he's going to cover my mouth and I jerk out from underneath the move.

"He was at the house I was given shelter in. I met him then. We didn't know that we were mates until after my birthday. Well. I didn't know anyway."

"Harry enough!" Fenrir growls, clearly angry.

"What! He can't say anything to anyone."

"He's still one of Dumbledores followers." he snarls back. I glare at him in response.

"I don't like your attitude towards my pseudo uncle."

"I don't like you spilling all your secrets under a potion!"

"Fenrir, you can leave. I told you that. This is, technically, my house. If you don't like what I do in my own home then get out." my annoyance finally gets to me. I'd put up with him getting growly before, but this was ridiculous. I yelp in surprise when his fingers are suddenly digging into my shoulder painfully.

"What-"

"Get up." his tone startles me. I hadn't heard it since I'd been blindfolded and he'd had to help me around. It was that flat, no-nonsense, terrifying tone that he'd used when talking down to me about not riding my broom blind.

"Remus, Lucius would like to know if you want the defense position," I tell him calmly as I can while I stand. Remus is eyeing us both but makes no move to step in. I realize with a frown that this must be some kind of alpha wolf thing.

"I'll owl him," he says carefully. And with that, I'm yanked through the house to the floo.

"Fenrir!" I hiss, alarmed when he pulls a little too roughly and I hear popping in the shoulder he's holding onto.

"Quiet."

I scowl as he drops the floo powder and I'm deposited into the receiving room, falling onto the shoulder that he'd been holding previously.

"Go to my rooms and wait for me there."

"You can't just manhandle me and-"

"GO!" his furious yell has me jumping. There's silence for just a moment before I turn and storm off.

 _AN_

 _Somewhere in my absence, this story has gained 285 followers and counting. I am astounded, and I'm so happy that everyone seems to enjoy this as much as I am. Things have calmed down, I'm moved in, my job is slowly getting together, and I now have a decent computer that doesn't have any water damage. (That last one was my fault completely. Don't drink water around your charging laptop.) So, I should be updating more than just what I have to for the QLFC I'm currently playing chaser in. I'm not going to promise it's going to be this one, even on this wonderful cliffhanger that's not really a cliffhanger, but in general, my updates should be more frequent._


	16. Chapter 16

"What happened?" Narcissa asks sharply, again. I ignored her like I had the first time, flexing the shoulder she had fixed. Between Fenrir's rough grip and my landing on the rug the way I did, I'd dislocated it. In my fury, I hadn't felt it, but two floors up on the way to my own rooms, it started throbbing.

"These are fingerprints, Harry," she tells me, slightly softer. I give her a side'eyed look but ignore it otherwise.

"Do not make me go get your father, he will not ask so nicely."

"Remus and I agreed to take Vertiserum with each other. Fenrir didn't like it. He kept getting growly, and then he kept trying to get me to stop talking. I finally told him to leave if he didn't like what I was doing in my home."

"That doesn't explain the marks, though I don't like where this is going."

"He dragged me out of the kitchen by my shoulder. Through the hall, into the formal room, and threw me in the floo. I landed on my shoulder."

"You should be wearing a sling for at least a day or two."

"I'm fine. I won't carry Thule on that side."

"Your father is going to kill him." she points out.

"Not if you keep quiet about it." I point out, shrugging my shirt back on and buttoning it up. She hands me the paste she'd put on the bruises that had formed and I pocket it before I turn to leave the sitting room I'd found her in.

"I'm telling your father, and my husband, and I'm hunting that dog down myself afterward," she tells me before I can get to the door. I turn slightly to see her and she looks very serious.

"Leave him alone."

"He hurt you!"

"I'm asking you to leave it," I tell her again before leaving the room. I go to find Bella and I find her in her and Rabastan's sitting room with Thule.

"Hello, Love." I greet the babe. He squeals and I pick him up, shifting him to my unhurt side.

"Sit, sit." Bella moves me to the chair facing the one she was sitting in and I sit with her easily, settling Thule on my lap. Rodulphus pokes his head out of the bedroom door in curiosity.

"Oh, it's you. Hello, Harry," he says, before disappearing again. I will admit I'd been spending quite a lot of time in his rooms with his wife, and I was glad he trusted us.

"You're hiding," she states a few minutes later with the passing of a few pleasantries.

"What?"

"You're hiding. From Fenrir? Or from someone else?"

"You're the only one that says I'm hiding," I grumble, kissing at Thules hair and making him giggle.

"What happened?" She asks curiously, and I groan. The women of the Black family didn't know how to let it go it seems. I tell her what's happened since we left the house, and I thought she was going to storm out. She levels a glare my way as well, which startles me slightly. I wasn't wanting anyone to go on a manhunt for Fenrir, but I didn't expect anyone to side with him either.

"You told an alpha wolf that you didn't care about his opinion. You, as his mate, told him that you were going to do as you wanted with his permission or not. What did you think he was going to do?" she asks, sounding slightly annoyed.

"I didn't tell him I was going to do whatever I wanted! I know that he tells me to do certain things to help me. But in that situation, he was getting all growly over nothing! I trust Remus, we'd taken our oaths, there wasn't anything that I was saying that would have gotten anywhere else. He had no right to tell me that I couldn't tell my family what was going on!"

"Harry?" Tom's voice cuts in before I can continue what I was going to say. There was a knock on the door behind me after a moment of silence and Bella calls for Tom to come in. he's got worried all over his face and he immediately goes to me.

"Narcissa said you were hurt, but wouldn't tell me why or how. Do you need to go to St. Mungos?" he asks worriedly. I laugh slightly at his concern and pass him Thule, who was happy to go to him.

"I'm fine now. I told Narcissa that. I also told her to leave it alone." I admit to him.

"What happened? Did Remus hurt you?"

"No. He said he was owling Lucius about the job though. Has Lucius asked Fenrir yet?"

"He hasn't come back from the Ministry yet. I'm sure he will when he has the time," he tells me, glancing from me to Thule. To Bella, and back again.

"Where is Fenrir?" he asks suddenly, seeming to realize that for the first time in almost a month we were in separate rooms.

"No idea. He went his separate ways when we left Grimmauld." I tell him calmly, ignoring Bella's sour expression.

"Hmmm. perhaps the library then. Was there a reason you handed me the child?"

"Take him with you." I wave dismissively at his question and he looks pleased with my answer as he walks away with Thule.

"Can I lay down in your spare room? I'm still exhausted." I ask before she could start talking about Fenrir again. She agrees a little reluctantly and I fall into the spare room, exhausted. Now that I wasn't so angry, I realize that me getting hurt wasn't exactly Fenrir's fault. Yes he left bruises and that was inexcusable, but the trip and fall was my floo experience mixed with him letting go and making me off balance on top of that. I could have handled his anger better, HE could have handled his anger better. I'm aware that we were both at fault, and that we would have to talk this out, but I was too angry and tired to try right now. So I roll over, take my shirt, shoes, and pants off, and fall asleep.

 **HPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFGHPFG**

The next time I wake up, Thule was in the bed with me, also sleeping, and Narcissa and Bella were near the door, looking at us.

"What?" I ask a little sleepily.

"The vote went through. It's passed. Your father came in to drop off Thule again."

"Mmhmm. So why do you two look so nervous?" I ask, rolling to sit up and working my still stiff shoulder until I could rotate it fully.

"He saw your arm and took a wild guess at where the bruises came from. We didn't say anything, but we didn't have to. They had a huge row over it and Fenrir is beside himself with worry now." I groan at Narcissa's comment and rub at my face.

"Right. Okay. thanks for warning me. When's lunch?"

"Harry, it's nearly six in the evening now. You and Thule have been sleeping for several hours. Dinner will be served in 30 minutes."

"Lovely," I mutter to myself, but I start dressing none the less.

"Put that paste on," Narcissa demands before I can pull my button up on. I scowl at her but pop the lid to start rubbing it in. it was still tender in some places but I refuse to complain about it. I pocket what's left and reach over to pick up Thule, who murmurs but doesn't wake.

"Come on Lovey, It's time to eat," I say, rubbing at his back. He makes a small snuffling noise and then his eyes are blinking open.

"There's those beautiful blues. Are you hungry?" I coo at him as we exit the room. He wiggles in my hold to lean on my chest but doesn't fall asleep as we make our way down to the dining room. I keep a string of babble to him so that he doesn't nod off, and the dining room goes silent when I step in with the Black Sisters.

"Harry, I-" Fenrir is halfway out of his seat when a spell hits him and he falls back into the chair.

"You stay sat down and you keep your mouth shut." Tom's voice is a low growl, and he Glares another moment at the werewolf now glued to his seat before he's gliding over to me and touching my face in a way that was almost affectionate.

"Are you in any pain."

"I told you last time we talked that I was fine." I point out as Narcissa reaches between us and takes Thule.

"I didn't know that your mate had _attacked you_ the last time we talked. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's not your business?" I answer though it sounds like a question. I move his hand gently before I make my way around the table, purposefully stooping to kiss a stunned Fenrir's cheek before taking the seat next to him.

"Surely you're not taking his side on this!"

"Are you really ignoring this?" Lucius and Tom exclaim at the same time.

"There are no sides. We had an argument, we were both angry. We've both had time to cool off." I point out as I start making my plate. I could see Fenrir moving carefully out of the corner of my eye but I ignore that in favor of dishing mashed potatoes onto my plate next to the steak they had prepared.

"Harry, That's not what we mean," Lucius says in a firm tone.

"I know exactly what you mean, Lucius. I'm telling you how I feel about it. Besides, I'll say it again, _It's not your business._ " I say it firmly this time and Tom's mouth sets into a hard line.

"You shouldn't be getting hurt in a rel-"

"Sod off. _Everyone_ gets hurt when in a relationship. No one is perfect 100% of the time." I snap, already getting tired of their attitudes towards what had happened. This is why I didn't want to tell anyone.

"You're not even a little bit angry?" Rabastan asks hesitantly, half curious and half amazed.

"I'm furious, actually. That doesn't mean that I hate Fenrir or that I don't want to be with him anymore, it just means we're going to talk- and probably yell, and scream, and fight- when we're done eating and in a private setting." I admit easily. The stunned silence allows me to fill my plate and begin eating. Murmurs begin around me, but no one addresses me. I feel a hesitant hand settle on my knee, and I drop the hand I'm not eating with to settle on top of Fenrirs immediately. His fingers squeeze mine and I keep mine laced with his as we continue eating.

Eventually, when I'm done, I glance at Narcissa.

"Go, I'll take him for a few hours," she tells me immediately. I give her a grateful look and pull Fenrir to his feet. I lead the silent wolf to my rooms and drop his hand as we reach my bedroom.

"Harry-"

"Don't you dare apologize, you don't mean it."

"What!? Of course I-"

"IF you really meant it, you wouldn't have done anything in the first place. Sit." I motion to the loveseat as I sit on the bed to take my shoes off.

"I never meant to hurt you." he murmurs lowly.

"I'm more upset at the fact that you dragged me from my home, with my uncle, because you didn't like my opinion."

You were-" I raise both hands to stall his indignant tone.

"I could have worded my response better. But the truth is still the same. It was my house, I knew that my oath would hold, and I trust Remus. You can't go around, growling and threatening everyone that I'm friends with that you don't like." I tell him as I stand again. I kick the shoes to the edge of my bed before moving to sit next to him, propping myself up on the arm and facing him with my knees pulled to my chest.

"Why can't you just trust my instincts?" he huffs, and I feel both my eyebrows shoot up.

"Like you trust mine?" I quip back, and the attitude that I could see building in his posture deflates.

"I couldn't even see straight when you asked me to leave." he murmurs after a long, silent moment.

"I didn't ask you to leave, Fenrir. I was frustrated that you kept trying to get me from bonding with my uncle. I didn't want you gone, I just wanted you to let me speak freely." I correct immediately. He didn't seem convinced, and I reach out to him again. His fingers grasp mine immediately.

"I was furious, but I don't ever want you to just _leave_. I do value your opinion, even if I disagree with it. I'm allowed to have my own opinions and make my own mistakes within reason. Now obviously, if I was about to jump off the astronomy tower, I'd want you to pull me off the ledge and smack me upside the head. But who I talk to and what I say is _not_ something you will be dictating. Ever." I tell him firmly. I feel his muscle tick in his arm.

"Harry-"

"Don't patronize me. I can tell from your tone, don't give me that look." I growl out, going to shake his hand off.

"No, please." he clings to me and pulls me so that I'm in his lap, which I go along with grudgingly until I'm settled against him, my back to his chest and my legs either side of his.

"I'm sorry. I'm trying. I'm fighting _so hard_ to let you do what you want. I'm sorry that I'm… I'm going against my instincts letting you talk to Remus. He was on Dumbledores side, he could tell anyone. I don't want you hurt."

"Fenrir, Remus wasn't on Dumbledores side. He was fighting for my parents and Sirius. When I was born, he claimed me like a _cub._ He doesn't just _call me_ that. He says when I was little I'd be able to curl up with Moony. After that, he wasn't ever on anyone's side but mine." I remind him, stroking my fingers over the arm around my waist. We sit in silence for a long time after that.

"Your father hates me now." he murmurs, his face pressed to my hurt shoulder.

"He'll get over it," I answer back. I feel him huff a laugh.

"You do realize that the man that you allowed to adopt you is the _Dark Lord_."

"Hmmm. you're important to me, he won't do anything. Now, did Lucius talk to you about your job?" I ask softly.

"Yes. I told him I'd go, so long as I wouldn't get in trouble if I continued to court you," he admits. I grin at that. My one complaint about going back to the school was that Fenrir wasn't going to be coming with me. When talk had begun about him coming with us, even if it was under a disguise, I was ecstatic.

"Good."

"Good?"

"I'd miss you," I grumble, making him laugh again. We sit in front of the fire for a while after that, talking. Sometimes we ventured back to our argument, but for the most part, it was light. At around ten, a knock is heard on my outside door.

"Gigi, let them in," I call to the air around me, too lazy to get up. I hear a pop, followed immediately by another, before footsteps.

"Harry?" Narcissa's voice has me glancing over Fenrir's shoulder to see her, Bella, and Tom in the door to my room. Narcissa has Thule, who was asleep again.

"Put him in his bed." I point over my shoulder lazily.

"Are you two alright?" Tom asks as he comes to sit in an armchair near us.

"We're fine. Fenrir says he got the potions job." I tell him to change the subject.

"Yes, I was informed. You have to be at school after lunch tomorrow for a few hours. So does Lucius. You'll be home before Dinner." he assures Fenrir when the arms around my torso tighten.

"And my condition?"

"You were courting him before the position was offered to you. And, since werewolves are reinstated as actual humans now, the moon laws of 1650 are in place again. Meaning no one can tell a werewolf they can't see their mate, even if one is in a position of power over the other." Tom says a little smugly. Fenrir melts underneath me and I chuckle, turning to kiss his cheek again.

"Were you that worried?"

"Well, I would have courted you anyway, but it's much easier to do if everyone knows about it," he argues with a grin.

"I think it's time for you all to go to bed then. Fenrir, I'll walk you back to your rooms," Tom says as he stands, making it clear that he didn't have an option. I scowl at Tom but allow Fenrir to move me off his lap. I pull him down for a sweet kiss before letting him go. I watch them leave before turning to the sisters.

"What?"

"The one and only time Lucius left bruises on me, I hexed him black and blue for a week," Narcissa says a little offhandedly.

"Your power dynamic is a little different than mine and Fenrirs. If I just hexed him, he'd get even angrier. His wolf would see it as an attack, as me challenging the Alpha. I don't want to do that, but I do want him to listen to me. Which he did once we were alone and talked it out logically."

"That's more Rod and I's style. We might argue and throw hexes but then we help heal each other up and talk rationally. Don't look at us like that Narcissa. Your husband listens to every word you say because he's smart. Our boys are less than smart and need to be reminded that we have voices and opinions too." Bella huffs at the side look Narcissa gives her. I laugh at that.

"I think the difference is our boys are just _old_ ," I tease in an amused whisper, startling a laugh out of them.

"Think about it! Rod and Fenrir are four years apart, and then Lucius is seven years younger than Rod is. That makes Fenrir eleven years older than him. That's a whole Hogwarts rotation difference!" I exclaim dramatically.


End file.
